Uptake of inorganic chemicals from soil by plant leaves: Regressions of field data

Rebecca A. Efroymson, Bradley E. Sample, Glenn W. Suter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

73 Scopus citations

Abstract

The estimation of chemical concentrations in wildlife foods, such as plant foliage, is often performed for risk assessments at contaminated sites. Regression models and uptake factors for use in estimating the uptake of inorganic elements from soil by above-ground plant tissues were derived in this study. These included models for arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc. Models were developed using published data from soil contaminated in the field and were validated using measured concentrations from two contaminated sites. Single-variable regression models of log-transformed concentrations in plants versus log-transformed concentrations in soil are generally recommended over simple uptake factors for use in estimating plant uptake of inorganic contaminants in ecological risk assessments. Multiple regression models with soil concentration and pH as the variables are also recommended for estimating the uptake of four chemicals (cadmium, mercury, selenium, and zinc) by plants. Models for use in screening risk assessments, i.e., the upper 95% prediction limits on the regressions, are recommended to provide conservative estimates of uptake of inorganic chemicals by plants.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2561-2571
Number of pages11
JournalEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Volume20
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - 2001

Keywords

  • Bioaccumulation
  • Ecological risk assessment
  • Exposure
  • Metal
  • Plant uptake

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Uptake of inorganic chemicals from soil by plant leaves: Regressions of field data'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this