The effects of agricultural practice and land-use on the distribution and origin of some potentially toxic metals in the soils of Golestan province, Iran

Soil samples were collected from the agricultural lands of Golestan province, north of Iran and analyzed for 24 elements including eight toxic metals of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, Se and Zn. Electrical conductivity, pH, organic matter, soil texture, calcium carbonate content as well as soil cation exchange capacity were also determined. The possible sources of metals are identified with multivariate analysis such as correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis. In addition, enrichment factors were used to quantitatively evaluate the influences of agricultural practice on metal loads to the surface soils. The PCA and cluster analysis studies revealed that natural geochemical background are the main source of most elements including Al, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Ni, Pb, V and Zn in the arable soils of the province (more than 90 %), however, those soils which have been developed on the mafic and metamorphic rocks were considerably contributed on metal concentration (43 %). Calcium and Sr were constituents of calcareous rocks and Na and S were mainly controlled by saline soils in the north of the province. Loess deposits was also accounting for high levels of selenium concentration. Phosphorous was mostly related to application of P-fertilizers and organophosphate pesticides. The comparison of metal load and enrichment factor for dry and irrigated farmlands showed that Cd, Co, Pb, Se and Zn had higher concentrations in the irrigated lands where considerable amounts of agrochemicals had been applied. However, it also found that proximity of arable lands to urban and industrial areas resulted in higher Pb and Cd values in the irrigated agricultural sources relative to dry ones.