Investigation on the distribution of potentially toxic elements and their environmental significance in the greenhouse cultivated soils of Jiroft Township, Kerman province

Accumulation of potentially toxic elements in agriculture soil is one of the main serious environmental concerns in the greenhouse cultivation. The environmental investigation of potentially toxic elements (V, Ag, Se, Ni, Pb, As, Cr, Co, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mo, Mn, Sn, Sb, Bi and Zn) in the greenhouse cultivated soils of the Bagher-Abad area, Jiroft is the main objective of this study. After preliminary field investigations, 20 soil samples were collected by mean of composite method. Collected samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method at the Labwest laboratory, Perth, Australia. The results were discussed using statistical methods and environmental indices with respect to the natural background and worldwide concentrations of target elements. The data showed that only Zn, Cd, Mo, As and in some cases Sb have medium enrichment in the investigated soils. For some of the selected soils the bioavailability or solubility of target elements was determined using 0.005M DTPA leaching solution. Among the investigated elements Cd and Zn showed the maximum bioavailable fraction corresponding to the medium to high risk assessment codes. Antimony is the only trace element that showed poor enrichment (39.3 µg/L) in the irrigation water used for the target greenhouse soils.