Heavy metals in soil, water and cultivated plants of a peri-urban agroecosystem in an Inter-Andean Valley of Peru
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51372/bioagro381.10Keywords:
Bioaccumulation, contamination, plant-soil-water systemAbstract
Heavy metals (HM) in agroecosystems represent an environmental concern posing risks to food safety. This study evaluated the presence of HM in irrigation water, agricultural soil, and cultivated plants (CP) within a peri-urban horticultural agroecosystem in Huanuco-Peru. A total of 19 random soil and CP samples, plus two water samples, were collected and analyzed in an laboratory accredited by the National Quality Institute (INACAL) . Results showed no contamination in irrigation water with a pollution load index (PLI) of 0.0006, whereas agricultural soil (PLI=7.42) and plant samples (PLI=1.70) exhibited contamination. The interaction between plant material and irrigation water revealed higher accumulation of Zn, Cd, Cr, and Pb, likely due to transport by dilution. In conclusion, both soil and plant components of the horticultural agroecosystem showed contamination by heavy metals, which is exacerbated by their mobilization through irrigation water. This process promotes the progressive accumulation of metals in the production system, posing a potential risk to the environment and public health.
Downloads
References
Abd-Elnabi, M.K., N.E. Elkaliny, M.M. Elyazied, S.H. Azab, S.A. Elkhalifa, S. Elmasry y A.E. Abd Elaty. 2023. Toxicity of heavy metals and recent advances in their removal: A review. Toxics 11(7): 580.
Acosta-Lizárraga L.G. y M.E. Bergés-Tiznado. 2024. Plantas que hiperacumulan elementos tóxicos de suelos contaminados. Elementos 135: 125-128.
Alengebawy, A., S.T. Abdelkhalek, S.R. Qureshi y M.-Q. Wang. 2021. Heavy metals and pesticides toxicity in agricultural soil and plants: Ecological risks and human health implications. Toxics 9(3): 42.
Andrade-Linarez, K., I. Castillo-Coaquira y R. Quispe-Riquelme. 2020. Determinación de metales pesados en suelos agrícolas y suelos para cultivo de Solanum tuberosum de la bahía interior de Puno. Investigación y Desarrollo 20(1): 147-153.
Bastidas, G. 2024. El cadmio en el suelo y su efecto en el cultivo del palto (Persea americana Mill.). Trabajo de Suficiencia, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12996/6168.
Bhatia, A., S. Singh y A. Kumar. 2015. Heavy metal contamination of soil, irrigation water and vegetables in peri-urban agricultural areas and markets of Delhi. Water Environment Research 87(11): 2027-2034.
Chen, S. y Y. Ding. 2023. Tackling heavy metal pollution: Evaluating governance models and frameworks. Sustainability 15: 15863.
Choquehuanca, J. y N.M. Trujillo. 2023. Determinación de metales pesados en agua de puquio utilizado en regadío de sembríos en el distrito de Pachangara-Oyón, 2022. Trabajo de Grado, Universidad Roosevelt.
Das, T. y A. Poater. 2021. Review on the use of heavy metal deposits from water treatment waste towards catalytic chemical syntheses. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22(24): 13383.
Das, S., K.W. Sultana, A.R. Ndhlala, M. Mondal e I. Chandra. 2023. Heavy metal pollution in the environment and its impact on health: Exploring green technology for remediation. Environmental Health Insights 17: 1-10.
Deng, Q., Z. Sun, L. Zhang, Y. Zhang, L. Zhou, J. Yang, et al. 2024. Transport characteristics of heavy metals in the soil-atmosphere-wheat system in farming areas and development of multiple linear regression predictive model. Scientific Reports 14: 17322.
Espinoza, C. y J. Peche. 2024. Contaminación de suelos por uso de agroquímicos en cultivos de papaya (Carica papaya), Picota, Perú. Agroindustrial Science 14(1): 7-13.
Fulke, A.B., S. Ratanpal y S. Sonker. 2024. Understanding heavy metal toxicity: Implications on human health, marine ecosystems and bioremediation strategies. Marine Pollution Bulletin 206: 116707.
Galagarza, O.A., A. Ramírez-Hernández, H.F. Oliver, M.V. Álvarez-Rodríguez, M.C. Valdez-Ortiz, E. Pachari-Vera et al. 2021. Occurrence of chemical contaminants in Peruvian produce: A food-safety perspective. Foods 10: 1461.
García-Izquierdo, C., J.L. Moreno-Ortego, M.T. Hernández Fernández y A. Polo. 2002. Metales pesados y sus implicaciones en la calidad del suelo. Ciencia y Ambiente (CCMA–CSIC): 125-138.
Ghuge, S.A., G.C. Nikalje, U.S. Kadam, P. Suprasanna y J.C. Hong. 2023. Comprehensive mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity in plants, detoxification, and remediation. Journal of Hazardous Materials 450: 131039.
Gogoi, B., S.A. Acharjee, P. Bharali, V. Sorhie, B. Walling y A. Alemtoshi. 2024. A critical review on the ecotoxicity of heavy metals on multispecies in global context: A bibliometric analysis. Environmental Research 248: 118280.
Joshi, S., S. Gangola, G. Bhandari, N.S. Bhandari, D. Nainwal, A. Rani, et al. 2023. Rhizospheric bacteria: The key to sustainable heavy metal detoxification strategies. Frontiers in Microbiology 14: 1229828.
Kaur, M., A. Sharma y S. Aditya. 2021. A review on heavy metal accumulation and toxicity in biotic and abiotic components. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 889: 012062.
Khan, I.U., S.S. Qi, F. Gul, S. Manan, J.K. Rono, M. Naz et al. 2023. A green approach used for heavy metals phytoremediation via invasive plant species to mitigate environmental pollution: A review. Plants 12: 725.
Khatun, J., A. Intekhab y D. Dhak. 2022. Effect of uncontrolled fertilization and heavy metal toxicity associated with arsenic (As), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd), and possible remediation. Toxicology 477: 153274.
Lara-Trejo, Z. y J.C. Gaytán-Oyarzún. 2025. Metales pesados y metaloides de interés toxicológico en el estado de Hidalgo, México. Pädi 12(24): 1-9.
Llanos-Zevallos, M., M.H. Muñiz-Paucarmayta, A.A. Muñiz-Paucarmayta, G.L. Vílchez-Ochoa y G.G. Cotrina-Cabello. 2024. Contaminación por metales pesados de la microcuenca del río Alto Huallaga y suelos agrícolas. Alfa 8(22): 41-48.
Mahlungulu, A., L. Kambizi, E.A. Akinpelu y F. Nchu. 2023. Levels of heavy metals in grapevine soil and leaf samples in response to seasonal change and farming practice in the Cape Winelands. Toxics 11: 193.
Mancila-Villa, O.R., B.N. Anzaldo-Cortés, R.D. Guevara-Gutiérrez, O. Hernández-Vargas, H.M. Ortega-Escobar, H. Flores-Magdaleno et al. 2020. Metales pesados, arsénico y boro en agua de riego subterránea en Zacoalco de Torres y Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco. Agrociencia 54(8): 995-1007.
MINAM (Ministerio del Ambiente). 2017. Estándares de calidad ambiental (ECA). SINIA. https://goo.su/LxBt24
Munive, R., G. Gamarra, Y. Munive, F. Puertas, L. Valdiviezo y R. Cabello. 2020. Absorción de plomo y cadmio por girasol de un suelo contaminado y remediado con enmiendas orgánicas en forma de compost y vermicompost. Scientia Agropecuaria 11(2): 177-186.
Omran, I.I., N.H. Al-Saati, K.S. Hashim, Z.N. Al-Saati, P. Kot, R. Al Khaddar et al. 2019. Assessment of heavy metal pollution in the Great Al-Mussaib irrigation channel. Desalination and Water Treatment 168: 165-174.
Panduro-Tenazoa, N.M., L. Vega-Jara, N. Ramírez-Flores y R.E. Herrera-Veramendi. 2021. Absorción de nutrientes y metales pesados del cultivo de Myrciaria dubia (camu camu) en un entisol de Yarinacocha. UNHEVAL.
Pang, Y.L., Y.Y. Quek, S. Lim y S.H. Shuit. 2023. Review on phytoremediation potential of floating aquatic plants for heavy metals: A promising approach. Sustainability 15: 1290.
Pei, L., C. Wang y L. Sun. 2022. Effects of unconventional water agricultural utilization on the heavy metal accumulation in typical black clay soil around the metallic ore. Toxics 10: 476.
Prialé, D.F. 2023. Evaluación de la presencia de plomo y cadmio en cultivos urbanos de Lactuca sativa L. y Beta vulgaris var. cicla en el distrito de Miraflores. Trabajo de Grado, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas.
Prieto, M.J., C.A. González Ramírez, A.D. Román Gutiérrez y F. Prieto García. 2009. Contaminación y fitotoxicidad en plantas por metales pesados provenientes de suelos y agua. Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems 10(1): 29-44.
Priya, A.K., M. Muruganandam, S.S. Ali y M. Kornaros. 2023. Clean-up of heavy metals from contaminated soil by phytoremediation: A multidisciplinary and eco-friendly approach. Toxics 11: 422.
Quezada, U.R.Q., J.Q. Rodríguez, R.C. Reátegui, I.L.H. Urpe y R.A.H. Benavides. 2023. Concentración de metales pesados en cultivares de Persea americana L., Luricocha, Huanta. Alfa Revista de Investigación en Ciencias Agronómicas y Veterinarias 7(20): 376-386.
Raj, K. y A. Prasad-Das. 2023. Lead pollution: Impact on environment and human health and approach for a sustainable solution. Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology 5: 79-85.
Salah, Y.B., H. Oudadesse, B. Lefeuvre, S. Tounsi y H. El Feki. 2021. Purified monoammonium phosphate fertilizer promotes the yield and reduces heavy metals accumulation in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.). International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 19: 1753-1764.
Sharafi, K., B. Mansouri, A.K. Omer, P., Ebrahimzadeh, G., Sharifi, et al. 2022. Investigation of health risk assessment and the effect of various irrigation water on the accumulation of toxic metals in the most widely consumed vegetables in Iran. Scientific Reports 12: 20806.
SENAMHI (Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú). 2020. Normales climatológicas: Temperatura y humedad relativa. https://goo.su/hofz9FP
Singh, R., P. Kumar-Singh, P. Madheshiya, A. Kumar-Khare y S. Tiwari. 2024. Heavy metal contamination in the wastewater irrigated soil and bioaccumulation in cultivated vegetables: Assessment of human health risk. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 128: 106054.
Tademe, T. y G. Tilahum. 2024. Determination of metals in water samples within the irrigation area in Telo District, Kaffa Zone, South Western Ethiopia. Heliyon 10: e29003.
Thakur, R., S. Sarvade y B.S. Dwivedi. 2022. Heavy metals: Soil contamination and its remediation. AATCC Review 10(2): 59-76.
Tomlinson, D.L., J.G. Wilson, C.R. Harris y D.W. Jeffrey. 1980. Problems in the assessment of heavy-metal levels in estuaries and the formation of a pollution index. Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen 33(1): 566–575.
Wei, B., J. Yu, Y. Cao, M. Meng, L. Yang y Q. Chen. 2020. The availability and accumulation of heavy metals in greenhouse soils associated with intensive fertilizer application. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17: 5359.
Xiao, M. y Y. Li. 2022. Distribution characteristics and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals under reclaimed water irrigation and water level regulations in paddy field. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies 31(3): 2355-2365.
Zhang, P., M. Yang, J. Lan, Y. Huang, J. Zhang, S. Huang et al. 2023. Water quality degradation due to heavy metal contamination: Health impacts and eco-friendly approaches for heavy metal remediation. Toxics 11: 828.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2025 Italo W. Alejos-Patiño, Henry Briceño-Yen, Ulda Campos-Felix, José Figueroa-Ramírez
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The opinions expressed by the authors not necesarily reflect the position of the publisher or UCLA. The total or partial reproduction of the texts published in this journal is authorized, as long as the complete source and the electronic address of this journal is cited. Authors can publish the final version of their work on internet or any other medium, after it has been published in this journal.
Bioagro reserves the right to make textual modifications and technical adjustments to the figures of the manuscripts, in accordance with the style and specifications of the journal.
