Trace elements in Bangladesh Paddy soils

A study was carried out to investigate the status of four micronutrients, iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn), and five other trace elements, cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and strontium (Sr), in paddy soils of Bangladesh. Soil samples were digested by hydrofluoric acid (HF)-nitric acid (HNO3)-perchloric acid (HClO4) for determination of total contents of the nine elements, while DTPA, ASI and 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) methods were used for determination of available Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn. Total trace element contents were found to vary with physiography on which soils are distributed. In general, Ganges Tidal Floodplain soils had the highest content, whereas terrace soils had the lower content. Among the soil properties examined, clay content had a good relation with total trace element contents in the topsoil, except for Sr. Based on the variation with physiography or clay content, the nine trace elements could be grouped into six groups: Cu, Fe and Zn; Pb, Co and Cr and Ni, Mn, Sr. According to the extractable levels of four micronutrients, Bangladesh paddy soils had the medium to optimum amounts of Fe and Cu, but were deficient sporadically in Mn and extensively in Zn. It was indicated that paddy soils of Bangladesh are yet to be polluted with heavy metals.