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RESEARCH ARTICLE

The determination of labile cadmium in some biosolids-amended soils by isotope dilution plasma mass spectrometry

C. W. Gray, R. G. McLaren and J. Shiowatana

Australian Journal of Soil Research 41(3) 589 - 597
Published: 06 June 2003

Abstract

An isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique, using an enriched stable Cd isotope, was applied to determine the labile fraction of Cd in 20 biosolids-amended soils. The measured labile Cd fraction was compared with the amounts of Cd solubilised or extracted by HNO3, EDTA, CaCl2, and Ca(NO3)2. Labile Cd, as a proportion of total soil Cd (% labile), ranged between 33 and 84% with a mean of 50%, indicating that a significant proportion of the Cd added to these soils from biosolids is in non-labile forms. EDTA was found to release Cd from non-labile sites, solubilising on average 30% more Cd than labile forms measured by isotope dilution. In contrast, the proportion of Ca(NO3)2-extractable Cd was significantly less than the measured labile fraction and probably represents Cd in soil solution. Extraction of soil with 1 M CaCl2, however, was found to provide a very good estimate of labile Cd in these biosolids-amended soils. Isotope dilution ICP-MS using an enriched stable Cd isotope and ICP-MS appears to be an analytical technique which has the potential to measure labile Cd in soils without the problems associated with the use of radioisotopes.

Keywords: heavy metals, New Zealand, availability, isotope dilution ICP-MS.

https://doi.org/10.1071/SR02057

© CSIRO 2003

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