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trace and toxic elements excess in agriculture
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Posted by lord_of_the_green Argentina z9 (My Page) on Thu, Oct 18, 07 at 11:39
I've read some articles about the depletion of trace elements on soils heavily used, but I wonder about just the oposite: How a plant metabolism will react, (and what effect it may have on us, in case of horticultural crops)
when the soil is very rich in trace elements and toxic elements.
Does a plant mebolize mercury, cadmium, arsenic, selenium, niobium, tantalum, manganese?
What would happen starting gardening near mining sites rich on the last three? Natural vegetation on the area doesn't seem visibly affected.
Regards. Paul. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: trace and toxic elements excess in agriculture
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| I strongly suggest that you consult a current text relating to plant physiology. There are a substantial number available. The elements you cite are mostly not absorbed from the soil. Plants possess mechanisms which allow them to selectively take from the soil only those elements which are necesary for normal metabolic processes. As with all biological systems, there are exceptions...it's an interesting subject which is too often twisted and distorted by somewhat neurotic health-nuts!!! |
RE: trace and toxic elements excess in agriculture
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RE: trace and toxic elements excess in agriculture
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- Posted by bahia SF Bay Area (My Page) on
Fri, Nov 2, 07 at 13:15
| Bioremediation often uses specific plants, fungi or bacteria that will actively metabolize and concentrate such trace elements, so that they can be grown as cover crops and then removed/harvested to rid the soils of excess amounts. It is a strong growing new field, and much used here in California to make many toxic waste sites usable for new construction. Of course, there is also still alot of projects where new fill is brought in to cap the contaminants, but this does little to deal with the original problem. |
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