Ambient copper concentrations in agricultural and natural European soils: An overview

Abstract

Copper concentrations in soil are affected by a large number of processes related to the natural spatial variability (geochemistry), the amount released, the spatial and temporal distributions of these releases, and the large number of transportation, complexation, and dissolution processes. The present study reports the generated country-specific and land use-specific environmental concentration distributions of ambient copper exposure levels in European soils that were used for the derivation of "reasonable worst-case" predicted environmental copper concentrations (RWC-ambient copper PEC) for three types of soil uses: Agricultural soils, forest soils, and undefined grassland soils. Only recent and high-quality monitoring data (Q1) that comply with a number of criteria (i.e., sampling strategy, land use, digestion method, and absence of point sources) were selected for this purpose. Data treatment procedures used in the present study were based on the methods and concepts laid down in the European Union Technical Guidance Document on Risk Assessment and in the "combined monitoring-based and modeling-based priority setting" procedure. The derived median RWC-ambient copper PEC for European agricultural soils is 31.1 mg/kg dry weight, with the lowest and highest RWC-ambient copper PEC found in Belgium (16.1 mg/kg dry wt) and northern Italy (57.5 mg/kg dry wt), respectively. The high value for Italian soils probably is related to the (recent) volcanic origin of these soils. Similarly, RWC-ambient copper PECs were derived for forest soils and undefined grassland soils (24.4 and 35.3 mg/kg, respectively). Observed differences between the diifferent soil uses could be related to various parameters and processes that determine the copper levels in soil (e.g., soil type associated with specitic soil uses, addition of fertilizers and pesticides, and presence of cattle).

Insights into the development of fungal biomarkers for metal ecotoxicity assessment: Case of Trametes versicolor exposed to copper

“…With their adaptation mechanisms to different stressors, including metal tolerance, and their involvement in nutrient cycles [1,5,12], fungi are of ecological relevance. In the present study, Cu, one main metallic contaminant in soils from agrosystems, was tested [18][19][20]. The originality of the present study was in testing the impact of Cu on enzymatic equipment according to the fungal physiological state.…”

“…Copper has been retained because it is a common contaminant of soils from many agrosystems, amounting to 100 to 1,000 ppm (mg/kg of soil), whereas geochemical values in noncontaminated soils are between 5 and 30 ppm [18][19][20]. Two main families of enzymes involved in terrestrial ecosystem functioning were monitored: hydrolases (b-glucosidase, N-acetyl-b-glucosaminidase, b-galactosidase, acid and alkaline phosphatases, and aryl-sulfatase) and oxidoreductases (laccase, manganese and lignin peroxidases) in liquid cultures of T. versicolor.…”

Species sensitivity distribution evaluation for chronic nickel toxicity to marine organisms

“…As a point of comparison for the marine Ni HC5 values derived in the current study, ambient Ni concentration data for European marine waters were identified. Heijerick and Van Sprang () compiled ambient Ni concentration data for estuarine and estuarine‐influenced coastal waters, as well as for open marine waters and the Baltic Sea (given its semi‐enclosed conditions and brackish properties). Data from estuaries with anthropogenic point sources were excluded.…”

“…Data from estuaries with anthropogenic point sources were excluded. Following guidance from the TGD, Heijerick and Van Sprang () derived reasonable worst‐case (RWC) ambient Ni concentrations of 3.34, 0.30, and 0.79 μg/L for estuarine and estuarine‐coastal waters, open marine waters, and the Baltic Sea, respectively, which were calculated as the 90th percentile of the ambient Ni data compiled for each of these categories of water bodies.…”

Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of copper compounds (E4) as feed additives for all animal species: cupric sulphate pentahydrate based on a dossier submitted by Manica S.p.A.

“…The current copper concentration in European agricultural soil is about 31 mg/kg DM, with a range between 16 and 58 mg/kg DM (Heijerick et al, 2006). Therefore the copper concentration in copperloaded soil investigated by Berg et al (2005) was higher than the current concentrations in soil.…”