Title

Calcium Chloride Extractable Cadmium as an Estimate of Cadmium Uptake by Subterranean Clover

Author Info

M. G. Whitten, University of Western Australia
G. S.P. Ritchie, University of Western AustraliaFollow

Recommended Citation

Postprint version. Published in Australian Journal of Soil Research, Volume 29, Issue 2, January 1, 1991, pages 215-221.

NOTE: At the time of publication, the author FIRST & LAST NAME was not yet affiliated with Cal Poly.

The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1071/SR9910215.

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) may accumulate in soils which have been regularly fertilized with phosphate fertilizers which contain Cd originating in rock phosphate. Soil was taken from three sites in the wheatbelt of Western Australia which were estimated to have received different amounts of phosphate fertilizer over the past decade. The pH was adjusted with dilute HCl or CaCO₃. No Cd was added experimentally. The concentration of Cd in the whole tops of Trifolium subterraneum cv Mt Barker grown in a glasshouse pot experiment increased from 0.2-0.8 µg g^-1 dry wt at pH 6.6-6.9 (1:5 0.01 M CaCl₂) to 2-4 µg g^-1 at pH 4.1-4.2. The highest concentration of Cd in the plant tops at any particular pH occurred on the soil which had the highest concentration of P in the CaCl₂ extract. There was a linear relationship between the concentration of Cd in the whole tops of sub-clover and the concentration of Cd in the CaCl₂ extracts which was independent of site. The concentration of Cd in the CaCl2 extracts was a function of pH and concentration of P in the CaCl₂ extract.

Disciplines

Food Science | Nutrition

Copyright

1991 Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization (CSIRO)