ISSN:
1750-3841
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
,
Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology
Notes:
—Arsenic bearing compounds have been used as insecticides, fungicides and herbicides. Wide-spread use of these chemicals could lead to build-up in the soil. Detection of arsenic requires special apparatus and sophisticated techniques. A method using neutron activation analysis was developed that required only drying of samples and encapsulation. Using activation analysis, it was found that arsenic was concentrated in the root of tomato plants. Data indicated a discrimination within the plant between fruit, stems and leaves, and root. Thus, it was concluded that soil concentrations of arsenic would have to be at the level that causes a reduction in fruit size and/ or yield before fruit concentration of arsenic would exceed the tolerance. This situation is not likely to occur at concentrations used for defoliation of horticultural crops prior to mechanical harvest. Activation analysis could be used to detect microgram quantities of arsenic in milligram size samples. The method was precise and repeatable and did not require elaborate sample preparation techniques.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2621.1969.tb10347.x
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