Cadmium contamination on potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) in intensive production

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is an element with no known biological function for plants, animals and man, however, due to its chemical similarity with other essential elements, it can be absorbed by plants and thus enter the food chain, causing severe damage. Potato cultivation is known to be a hyperaccumulator of Cd and other heavy metals, so it represents a risk for the food chain if this plant is grown in areas contaminated by these elements. For this reason, the objective of this research was to evaluate the concentration of Cd in potatoes for consumption, from two units in intensive production, as possible risk factors for the food chain and the environment. For this, the concentration of Cd was evaluated in the soil, the propagule (agamic seed), the plant and the potato tuber produced for consumption. As a result, contamination could be observed, since the concentrations of Cd in the different samples evaluated exceeded the maximum permissible limits, mainly due to the use of cultivation technology in Cuba, with numerous applications of pesticides, preventively to the cultivation and high doses of fertilizers. Although this contamination could also have been influenced by various contaminating sources of the studied sites, such as: the burning of sugarcane in neighboring areas, the existence of a solid waste dump near the field and the proximity of roads with high vehicular traffic. Based on the results, a Technological Surveillance System was proposed that will mitigate the risks in the agroecosystems that were contaminated with Cd.