Trace element distribution in soils and food in intensively cultivated tropical areas of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract

Abstract The Cerrado biome of Mato Grosso, a major agricultural region in Brazil, requires continuous soil management and fertility correction. Assessing trace elements (TEs) in soils and crops is essential to understand their dynamics and potential environmental and food safety implications. This study evaluated the concentrations of thirteen TEs (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) in soils and agricultural products from representative areas of the region. A total of 84 soil samples (0–0.20 m), 84 soybean grains ( Glycine max L.), 48 corn grains ( Zea mays L.), 12 popcorn grains ( Zea mays everta ), and 8 pasture samples ( Urochloa ruziziensis R. Germ. & C.M. Evrard) were analyzed. Following aqua regia extraction, TEs were quantified using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Descriptive, inferential, and multivariate analyses, including bioaccumulation factor estimation, were applied. Overall, the soils showed no evidence of severe contamination, and the analyzed food products indicated a low immediate risk to food safety when assessed against regulatory limits. Elevated As, Cr, and Fe concentrations in soils were mainly associated with the natural geochemical background, whereas Zn, Cd, Cu, and Mn were partly related to the use of agricultural inputs. Integrated statistical and geoenvironmental analyses provided support for the discussion of possible trace-element sources in tropical agricultural systems.