Comparison of cadmium levels in leaves, shell and almond of Theobroma cacao

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29076/issn.2528-7737vol14iss37.2021pp73-80p

Keywords:

cocoa, bioadsorption of metals, heavy metal, maximum permissible level

Abstract

The elevated concentration of cadmium (Cd) in cocoa beans above the maximum allowed level (0.5 mg/kg) has caused concern among Ecuadorian cocoa producers exporting to international markets. In this context, the aim of the study was to determine the levels of cadmium present in the leaves, shell and almond of cocoa beans of the genotypes Nacional and CCN51. The selected plots are located in Rio Bonito, province of El Oro and Shumiral, province of Azuay, southern coastal region of Ecuador. In this work, soil samples were taken to determine their chemical properties and from the leaves, shell and almond of cocoa trees selected at random from the three farms identified as F1, F2 and F3. The analysis for the determination of Cd was carried out by acid digestion of plant tissues, and Cd contents were determined in triplicate by atomic absorption. Statistical analysis was performed by descriptive analysis. In general, the soils were acidic to moderately acidic on all three farms. Cd values ranged from 0.36 mg/kg (F3) to 2.59 mg/kg (F2) in leaves, 1.15 mg/kg to 2.36 mg/kg in shell and 1.15 mg/kg to 1.93 mg/kg in almond. The levels obtained are related to other results obtained by different methods of Cd extraction, being the main factor that could influence the values: acid soil pH and the level of P medium presumably added in the fertilization in farm two.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Araujo, L. S., Tapia, W., & Villamarín Ortiz, A. (2020). Verificación del método analítico de espectroscopía de absorción atómica con horno de grafito para la cuantificación de cadmio en almendra de cacao (Theobroma cacao). La Granja, 31(1), 56–60.

Arévalo-Gardini, E., Obando-Cerpa, M. E., Zúñiga-Cernades, L. B., Arévalo-Hernández, C. O., Baligar, V., & He, Z. (2016). Metales pesados en suelos de plantaciones de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) en tres regiones del Perú. Ecología Aplicada, 15(2), 81.

Argüello, D., Chavez, E., Lauryssen, F., Vanderschueren, R., Smolders, E., & Montalvo, D. (2019). Soil properties and agronomic factors affecting cadmium concentrations in cacao beans: A nationwide survey in Ecuador. The Science of the Total Environment, 649, 120–127.

Astolfi, S., Zuchi, S., Neumann, G., Cesco, S., Sanità di Toppi, L., & Pinton, R. (2012). Response of barley plants to Fe deficiency and Cd contamination as affected by S starvation. Journal of Experimental Botany, 63(3), 1241–1250.

Barraza, F., Moore, R. E. T., Rehkämper, M., Schreck, E., Lefeuvre, G., Kreissig, K., Coles, B. J., & Maurice, L. (2019). Cadmium isotope fractionation in the soil – cacao systems of Ecuador: a pilot field study. Advances, 9(58), 34011–34022.

Barraza, F., Schreck, E., Lévêque, T., Uzu, G., López, F., Ruales, J., Prunier, J., Marquet, A., & Maurice, L. (2017). Cadmium bioaccumulation and gastric bioaccessibility in cacao: A field study in areas impacted by oil activities in Ecuador. Environmental Pollution, 229, 950–963.

Barrezueta-Unda, S., & Paz-González, A. (2017). Estudio comparativo de la estructura elemental de materia orgánica de suelo y mantillo cultivados de cacao en El Oro, Ecuador. Revista Cientifica Agroecosistemas, 5(1), 2–9.

Barrezueta-Unda, S., Paz-Gonzalez, A., & Chabla-Carrillo, J. (2017). Determinación de indicadores para calidad de suelos cultivados con cacao en provincia de El Oro. Revista Cumbres.

Chavez, E., He, Z. L., Stoffella, P. J., Mylavarapu, R. S., Li, Y. C., & Baligar, V. C. (2016). Chemical speciation of cadmium: An approach to evaluate plant-available cadmium in Ecuadorian soils under cacao production. Chemosphere, 150, 57–62.

Fontes, A. G., Gama-Rodrigues, A. C., Gama-Rodrigues, E. F., Sales, M. V. S., Costa, M. G., & Machado, R. C. R. (2014). Nutrient stocks in litterfall and litter in cocoa agroforests in Brazil. Plant and Soil, 383(1-2), 313–335.

Furcal-Beriguete, P., & Torres-Morales, J. L. (2020). Determinación de concentraciones de cadmio en plantaciones de Theobroma cacao L. en Costa Rica. Revista Tecnología en Marcha, ág. 122–137.

Gramlich, A., Tandy, S., Gauggel, C., López, M., Perla, D., Gonzalez, V., & Schulin, R. (2018). Soil cadmium uptake by cocoa in Honduras. The Science of the Total Environment, 612, 370–378.

Hartemink, A. E. (2005). Nutrient stocks, nutrient cycling, and soil changes in cocoa ecosystems: A review. In World Soil Information (pp. 227–253). Advances in Agronomy.

Llatance, W. O., Saavedra, C. J. G., Castillo, W. G., & Mondragón, E. P. (2018). Bioacumulación de cadmio en el cacao (Theobroma cacao) en la Comunidad Nativa de Pakun, Perú. Revista Forestal del Perú, 33(1), 63–75.

Maddela, N. R., Kakarla, D., García, L. C., Chakraborty, S., Venkateswarlu, K., & Megharaj, M. (2020). Cocoa-laden cadmium threatens human health and cacao economy: A critical view. The Science of the Total Environment, 720, 2–11.

Meter, A., Atkinson, R., & LAbiberte, B. (2019). Cadmio en el cacao de América Latina y el Caribe.

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/224976826.pdf

Mite, F., Carrillo, M., & Durando, W. (2010). Avances del monitoreo de presencia de cadmio en almendras de cacao, suelos y aguas de ecuador. Xii Congreso Ecuatoriano de La Ciencia del Suelo, 17–19.

Mounicou, S., Szpunar, J., Andrey, D., Blake, C., & Lobinski, R. (2003). Concentrations and bioavailability of cadmium and lead in cocoa powder and related products. In Food Additives and Contaminants, 20, 4, 343–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/0265203031000077888

Pedraza, E. T., & Rojas, M. Á. H. (2017). Distribución del contenido de cadmio en los diferentes órganos del cacao CCN-51 en suelo aluvial y residual en las localidades de Jacintillo y Ramal de Aspuzana. In Revista de Investigación de Agroproducción Sustentable, 1, 2, 69-79.

https://doi.org/10.25127/aps.20172.365

Ramtahal, G., Umaharan, P., Hanuman, A., Davis, C., & Ali, L. (2019). The effectiveness of soil amendments, biochar and lime, in mitigating cadmium bioaccumulation in Theobroma cacao L. The Science of the Total Environment, 693, 133563.

Rodríguez, M. S., & Trigozo, J. P. R. (2017). Evaluación del contenido de metales pesados (Cd y Pb) en diferentes edades y etapas fenológicas del cultivo de cacao en dos zonas del Alto Huallaga, Huánuco (Perú). Revista de Investigación de Agroproducción Sustentable, 1 (1)87-95.

https://doi.org/10.25127/aps.20171.356

Romero-Estévez, D., Yánez-Jácome, G. S., Simbaña-Farinango, K., & Navarrete, H. (2019). Distribution, contents, and health risk assessment of cadmium, lead, and nickel in bananas produced in Ecuador. Foods, 8(8), 1–11.

Downloads

Published

2021-09-14

Issue

Section

Artículos Científicos

How to Cite

Comparison of cadmium levels in leaves, shell and almond of Theobroma cacao . (2021). CIENCIA UNEMI, 14(37), 73-80. https://doi.org/10.29076/issn.2528-7737vol14iss37.2021pp73-80p