Temporal changes in trace elements in brown soil and soybean after long-term fertilization

In agricultural production, specific elements in soil and plants are very important for the soil quality and plant productivity. Trace elements and rare earth elements enter in agri-environment by the application of fertilizers and, through anthropogenic activities, pose important health impacts even at low concentration due to non-biodegradable nature with long half-life. The micro nutrients are essential for human body in a quantity most of less than 100 mg/day. The nutritional element uptake by plants is regulated by availability of the required elements and element accumulation ability of the plants. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the accumulation of trace and rare earth elements after long-term application of different fertilizers in soil and soybean uptake. The inorganic fertilizers (NKP) and pig manure were applied to maize-maize-soybean rotation in Alfisols (brown) soil since 1979. Atomic emission spectrometry along with inductively coupled plasma technique was applied to determine trace and rare earth elements. The accumulation pattern of trace elements (TEs) observed in soil was Ni > Co > Se > Mo and rare earth elements (REEs) was found as La > Nd > Tb > Y > Pr > Gd > Er > Yb > Lu. In soybean stem, the TE and REE concentrations were Se > Ni > Co > Mo and Pr > Gd > Er > Yb > Tb > Nd > Lu > La > Y, respectively. Elemental concentrations in the seed samples were Ni > Se > Mo > Co and Pr > Gd > Er > Yb > Tb > Nd > Lu > Y > La. The seed of soybean accumulated Co, Mo, Ni, Gd, Pr, Er, Lu, and Tb more than the stem. Higher concentrations of Se, Nd, Y, and Yb were found in soil. These elements were higher in soybean stem followed by the seed. However, these elements are within safe toxic level and light pollution level.