Abstract:
Lead (Pb) is a toxic heavy metal, non-essential element and harmful to plants, animals and humans. Lead contamination in soil-plant systems is a global concern. This study is aimed at: 1) examing the most suitable Pb extractant solution for Pb in soil that relate to Pb in leafy vegetables, 2) determining the critical level of Pb in soil for growing safety leafy vegetables, and 3) studying biotransfer of Pb from soil to leafy vegetables. Three leafy vegetables (Pak Choy, lettuce, and Chinese cabbage) were grown in potting soil under a greenhouse, which the potting soils were added with 7 different concentration of Pb(NO3 ) 2 solution. Soils after growing leafy vegetables were then analyzed for total Pb concentration using aqua regia and for extractable Pb concentration using deionized water, 0.11 M acetic acid, DTPA, EDTA, 0.5 M HCl, Mehlich-3 and 0.43 M HNO3 . The Pb concentration in leafy vegetables (edible part and root) were also analyzed using mixed acid (HNO3 :HClO4 (3:1 v/v)) digestion. The solution from digestion and extraction of samples were analyzed Pb concentration by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS, AA 240, Varian, Palo Alto, United States) at a wavelength of 217 nm. The results showed that total Pb and extractable Pb in soil determined by the mentioned six extractants (aqua regia, DTPA, EDTA, 0.5 M HCl, Mehlich-3, and 0.43 M HNO3 ) were significantly correlated with Pb in the edible part (rs=0.6290.757) and the root part (rs=0.7220.899) of all three types of leafy vegetables. The results indicated that these extractants were able to extract Pb in the soil to assess Pb accumulation in leafy vegetables. However, it was found that the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) obtained from the relationship between extractable Pb in soil with Mehlich-3 extractant and Pb in leafy vegetables was higher than other extractant solutions (R 2 =0.5350.649). Therefore, this study recommended that Mehlich-3 extract solution be the most suitable Pb extractant for estimating soil Pb concentration for leafy vegetables. Based on its linear equation, the calculated critical level of Pb in soils for growing leafy vegetables that describing the maximum allowable level of Pb in leafy vegetables (0.3 mg kg1 ) is being 61.39 mg kg1 . In studying the biotransfer of Pb from the soil to leafy vegetables, it was found that Pb could mobilize easily from the soil to the roots than from the roots to the aboveground (edible part). Lead accumulation in the edible part was lower than those the root part, where Pb had less mobility to transfer from soil to edible part in all three leafy vegetables. This indicates that these vegetables are a non hyperaccumulator plant.