ABSTRACT Ultramafic soils are originated from ultramafic rocks such as peridotite and serpentinite and are highly enriched in metals (e.g., Ni, Cr, and Co) and depleted in plant nutrients (e.g., P, K, and Ca). Such characteristics make these soils unfavorable for agriculture and have raised environmental concerns on metal release to the environment. From another perspective, ultramafic soils host a diverse flora with higher endemism than surrounding non-ultramafic areas, which has provided scientists with an opportunity to investigate the evolutionary […]

ABSTRACT The two main bottlenecks for a successful phytoremediation program are the metal availability in soil and the metal uptake and transfer to shoots of high biomass plants. Several agronomical practices have been tested to boost the bioavailability of metals in soils and accumulation in plants. Here we assessed the feasibility of plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) isolated from a site contaminated by gold ore processing activities to assist the phytoremediation of As, Cd, and Pb by Sorghum bicolor and mitigate the […]

ABSTRACT Ferrimagnetic Fe-oxides are important soil components, which are present in most of the agricultural soils of Brazil. Distinction, origin, and assessment of the influence of these minerals on magnetism and geochemistry is a challenge for mineralogists. This study aimed to characterize mineralogically Fe-rich Rhodic Oxisols ( Latossolos Vermelhos ) originating from several mafic rocks in Brazil, and assess the implications on their magnetic and geochemical properties. We present results on magnetic measurements, chemical dissolutions, X-ray diffractometry, Rietveld refinement, Raman, […]

ABSTRACT Micronutrient research for sugarcane in northeastern Brazil is scarce and most works on this issue date back to the 70’s and 80’s. The objectives of this study were to assess the available and reserve pools of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn in soils cultivated with sugarcane under three geological contexts in northeastern Brazil as well as to diagnose the micronutrient nutritional status of sugarcane grown on these areas in order to identify pedogeological conditions in which micronutrient deficiencies are […]

ABSTRACT Lithological and geomorphological variations determine formation of soils with different mineralogical constitutions and can influence the distribution of potentially toxic elements (PTE). The aim of this study was to determine the contents of PTE and mineralogical assemblages along soil profiles of different classes and parent materials and to investigate the association among these factors in the São Francisco sedimentary basin in the northern part of the state of Minas Gerais (Brazil). Eight soil pedons of different classes that developed […]

ABSTRACT There is a complex interaction between various components of the soil ecosystem, including microbial biomass and soil chemical contaminants such as heavy metals and radionuclides, which may greatly affect the efficiency of bioremediation techniques. The aim of this study was to investigate microbial capacity to change pH, changes in the metal soluble-exchangeable fraction, and effects of initial heavy metal contents on soil samples in microbial solubilization/immobilization capacity. The soil samples used in this study were collected at a known […]

ABSTRACT: Studies regarding background concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs) are scarce and have mainly focused on a limited number of soil types from the northern hemisphere. The aim of this study was to determine REE concentrations in thirty-five benchmark soils of Brazil. Composite soil samples were taken from areas under native vegetation or with minimal anthropogenic influence. Concentrations of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Yb, Lu, Dy, Er, Ho, Tb, Tm, Y, Sc, and Fe were determined […]

ABSTRACT Soil contamination by heavy metals threatens ecosystems and human health. Environmental monitoring bodies need reference values for these contaminants to assess the impacts of anthropogenic activities on soil contamination. Quality reference values (QRVs) reflect the natural concentrations of heavy metals in soils without anthropic interference and must be regionally established. The aim of this study was to determine the natural concentrations and quality reference values for the metals Ag, Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb and […]

Arsênio (As) é um metaloide de grande potencial de toxidez para plantas e animais, causando redução do crescimento vegetal e diversos problemas de saúde humana e animal. O silício (Si), por sua vez, tem se destacado na amenização de estresses causados por elementos tóxicos em plantas. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram investigar os efeitos do Si na amenização do estresse causado por As em plantas de milho cultivadas em solução nutritiva e avaliar o potencial dos parâmetros de emissão espectral […]

O crescimento industrial e o populacional têm aumentado os teores de metais pesados nos solos e impactado a qualidade desse recurso. Nesse contexto, as agências de proteção ambiental vêm despendendo esforços para o estabelecimento de índices que possam identificar áreas suspeitas de contaminação. Valores de Referência de Qualidade para Solos (VRQs) refletem a concentração natural de determinada substância no solo, sem interferência antrópica. O trabalho objetivou estabelecer os VRQs para os metais Ag, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, […]