Byung Yeoup Chung;Choong Eui Song;Bong-Ju Park;J.Y. Ch

Korea Testing & Research Institute (KTR), Gimpo 415-871 (Republic of Korea);Department of Bio-environmental Chemistry, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Republic of Korea;Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Jeongeup 580-185 (Republic of Korea);Department of Horticultural Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763 (Republic of Korea)

domestic wastewater;heavy metals;zn;cd;brown rice;p

A pot experiment was conducted in a plastic film house to evaluate the translocation and uptake of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn) into brown rice (Oryza sativa L.) and the heavy metals residues in soils which had previously been irrigated with domestic wastewater for a long time (3 years). The range of Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn was 5.10 +/- 0.01, 0.105 +/- 0.017, 5.76 +/- 0.42, and 23.56 +/- 1.40 mg kg (-1), respectively in the domestic wastewater-irrigated soil, and 0.370 +/- 0.006, 0.011 +/- 0.001, 0.390 +/- 0.04, and 2.05 +/- 0.18 mg kg(-1), respectively, in the domestic wastewater-irrigated brown rice. The results indicated that application of domestic wastewater to arable land slightly increased the levels of Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn in soil and brown rice (P < 0.01). The concentrations of heavy metals in brown rice were lower than the recommended tolerable levels proposed by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. However, the continuous monitoring and pollution control of hazardous materials from domestic wastewater are needed in order to prevent excessive build-up of heavy metals in the food chain.