Determination of Cadmium Levels in Agricultural Areas of Çarşamba and Bafra Plains

Abstract

Cadmium pollution resulted from fertilizer applications were studied by determining cadmium levels in agricultural and non-agricultural soils of Bafra and Çarşamba plains. Soil samples of 68 were collected from agricultural (34) and non-agricultural (34) areas. The sample of 2 g was placed in a test tube and digested with hydrochloric acid and nitric acid mixture (3:1, v/v) in an aluminum block. Taking up the evaporated residue was dissolved in 1% nitric acid and total cadmium concentrations were determined with GF-AAS. Mean level of cadmium contents were found in agricultural areas 0.162±0.078 for Çarşamba and 0.433±0.288 mg kg-1 for Bafra. The accuracy of the method was tested with determining cadmium contents of standard reference material and cadmium spiked soil samples. © Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2007.