Distribution and mobility of vanadium in cultivated calcareous soils and some food chain crops

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Desert Research Center

2 Desert Research center

Abstract

Recently, vanadium levels have been increased in soil crust particularly in industrial areas. Vanadium content in food directly depends upon total initial content in soil. The distribution and mobility of vanadium in some calcareous soils along northwestern coastal region of Egypt were studied. The relationship between soil physical and chemical properties and vanadium fractions was studied. The results indicate that the less dominant chemical speciation of vanadium in calcareous soils was soluble and exchangeable vanadium followed by vanadium bound to carbonate < vanadium bound to organic matter < vanadium bound to Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides < vanadium bound to soil matrix (residual). The major species of vanadium was the residual form that accounted for 81.6 % to 90.1% of total vanadium. The mobility index of vanadium was found to be in the following sequence according to the studied cities Burg El Arab > Al Alameen > Marsa Matrouh > El Hammam > Ras Alhekma > Al Dabaa > Sidi Abdl Rahman. The mobility index ranged among 0.8 % and 4.2 %. The high concentrations of vanadium in the studied plants were found in those around industrial areas of Burg El Arab city.

Keywords