Hostname: page-component-669899f699-7xsfk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-26T07:31:39.900Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Distribution of exchangeable arsenic in low-land paddy fields in Sri Lanka as affected by the agro-climatic zone, soil and water source

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2025

Anuththara Neththasinghe ,
Nipuna Thennakoon ,
Samantha Dissanayaka ,
Buddhi Marambe ,
Harsha Kadupitiya ,
Upul Rathnayake ,
Rohana Chandrajith  and
Lalith Suriyagoda Open the ORCID record for Lalith Suriyagoda [Opens in a new window]
Anuththara Neththasinghe
Affiliation:
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Nipuna Thennakoon
Affiliation:
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Samantha Dissanayaka
Affiliation:
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Buddhi Marambe
Affiliation:
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Harsha Kadupitiya
Affiliation:
Natural Resources Management Centre, Department of Agriculture, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Upul Rathnayake
Affiliation:
Rice Research and Development Institute, Department of Agriculture, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Rohana Chandrajith
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Lalith Suriyagoda*
Affiliation:
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*
Corresponding author: Lalith Suriyagoda; Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The presence of excessive arsenic (As) in paddy fields poses a significant risk to human health due to its accumulation in rice grains. However, the current level of As in Sri Lankan paddy fields remains unclear. Therefore, this research aims to assess the distribution of exchangeable As concentration and investigate the effects of agro-climatic zones (ACZs), soil orders and water sources on exchangeable As concentration in Sri Lankan paddy fields. For this purpose, 7,154 soil samples were collected from paddy fields using a stratified random sampling method representing six ACZs, six soil orders and three water sources. Arsenic extraction was made using 0.01 M CaCl2 followed by the detection with inductive coupled plasma mass spectrophotometry. The concentration of exchangeable As ranged from 0.01 to 392.9 µg/kg with an average of 24.6 µg/kg. Samples from the Low-country Wet zone exhibited higher exchangeable As levels compared to those from the Low country Dry zone (P < 0.05). Among soil orders, Histosols, Inceptisols and Ultisols showed higher exchangeable As concentrations than Alfisols and Vertisols (P < 0.05). Rainfed paddy fields had higher exchangeable As compared to the fields with access to supplementary irrigation. Additionally, exchangeable As concentration was inversely correlated with soil pH and paddy grain yield (P < 0.05). The observed variations in soil-As concentration across ACZs, soil orders and water sources highlight the need for climate, soil order and water source-specific strategies to mitigate further accumulation of As in paddy fields.

Keywords

bioavailabilityheavy metalsirrigationlowlandsremediationtoxicity
Type
Crops and Soils Research Paper
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , First View , pp. 1 - 10
Check for updates
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Agrafioti, E, Kalderis, D and Diamadopoulos, E (2014) Ca and Fe modified biochars as adsorbents of arsenic and chromium in aqueous solutions. Journal of Environmental Management 146, 444–450.Google Scholar
Ahmed, ZU, Panaullah, GM, Gauch, H, McCouch, SR, Tyagi, W, Kabir, MS and Duxbury, JM (2011) Genotype and environment effects on rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain arsenic concentration in Bangladesh. Plant and Soil 338, 367–382.Google Scholar
Alloway, BJ (2013) Sources of heavy metals and metalloids in soils. In Alloway, BJ (ed.), Heavy Metals in Soils: Trace Metals and Metalloids in Soils and their Bioavailability. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer International Publishing, pp. 11–50.Google Scholar
Arunakumara, KKIU, Walpola, BC and Yoon, MH (2013) Current status of heavy metal contamination in Asia’s rice lands. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology 12, 355–377.Google Scholar
Awasthi, S, Chauhan, R, Srivastava, S and Tripathi, RD (2017) The journey of arsenic from soil to grain in rice. Frontiers in Plant Science 8, 1007.Google Scholar
Balasooriya, S, Diyabalanage, S, Yatigammana, SK, Ileperuma, OA and Chandrajith, R (2022) Major and trace elements in rice paddy soils in Sri Lanka with special emphasis on regions with endemic chronic kidney disease of undetermined origin. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 44, 1841–1855.Google Scholar
Baroudy, AAE, Ali, AM, Mohamed, ES, Moghanm, FS, Shokr, MS, Savin, I and Lasaponara, R (2020) Modeling land suitability for rice crop using remote sensing and soil quality indicators: the case study of the Nile delta. Sustainability 12, 9653.Google Scholar
Brammer, H (2009) Mitigation of arsenic contamination in irrigated paddy soils in south and south-east Asia. Environment International 35, 856–863.Google Scholar
Chandrajith, R, Dissanayake, CB and Tobschall, HJ (2005) The abundance of rarer trace elements in paddy (rice) soils of Sri Lanka. Chemosphere 58, 1415–1420.Google Scholar
Chandrasekara, C, Rajapaksha, I, Dissanayake, S, Kadupitiya, H, Sirisena, D, Chandrajith, R, Dittert, K and Suriyagoda, L (2024) Effects of climate, soil and water source on the distribution of bioavailable iron in low-land paddy soils of Sri Lanka, Applied Geochemistry 160, 105875.Google Scholar
Das, DK, Sur, P and Das, K (2008) Mobilisation of arsenic in soils and in rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants affected by organic matter and zinc application in irrigation water contaminated with arsenic. Plant, Soil and Environment 54, 30–37.Google Scholar
Dissanayake, CB and Chandrajith, R (2009) Phosphate mineral fertilizers, trace metals, and human health. Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka 37, 153–165.Google Scholar
Dittmar, J, Voegelin, A, Roberts, LC, Hug, SJ, Saha, GC, Ali, MA, Badruzzaman, ABM and Kretzschmar, R (2007) Spatial distribution and temporal variability of arsenic in irrigated rice fields in Bangladesh. 2. Paddy Soil. Environmental Science and Technology 41, 5967–5972.Google Scholar
Diyabalanage, S, Navarathna, T, Abeysundara, HTK, Rajapakse, S and Chandrajith, R (2016) Trace elements in native and improved paddy rice from different climatic regions of Sri Lanka: implications for public health. SpringerPlus 5, 1864.Google Scholar
Farooq, SH, Chandrasekharam, D, Berner, Z, Norra, S and Stüben, D (2010) Influence of traditional agricultural practices on mobilization of arsenic from sediments to groundwater in Bengal delta. Water Research 44, 5575–5588.Google Scholar
Fu, Y, Chen, M, Bi, X, He, Y, Ren, L, Xiang, W, Qiao, S, Yan, S, Li, Z and Ma, Z (2011) Occurrence of arsenic in brown rice and its relationship to soil properties from Hainan Island, China. Environmental Pollution 159, 1757–1762.Google Scholar
Galán, E, Romero–Baena, AJ, Aparicio, P and González, I (2019) A methodological approach for the evaluation of soil pollution by potentially toxic trace elements. Journal of Geochemical Exploration 203, 96–107.Google Scholar
Houba, VJG, Temminghoff, EJM, Gaikhorst, GA and Vark, W (2000) Soil analysis procedures using 0.01 M calcium chloride as extraction reagent. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 31, 1299–1396.Google Scholar
Hu, L, Zhang, P, Xu, X, Ren, J, Zhao, L, Qiu, H and Cao, X (2023) Immobilization of arsenic in different contaminated soils by zero-valent iron-embedded biochar: effect of soil characteristics and treatment conditions. Science of The Total Environment 683, 161597.Google Scholar
Huang, RQ, Gao, SF, Wang, WL, Staunton, S and Wang, G (2006) Soil arsenic availability and the transfer of soil arsenic to crops in suburban areas in Fujian Province, southeast China. Science of the Total Environment 368, 531–541.Google Scholar
Hussain, MM, Bibi, I, Niazi, NK, Shahid, M, Iqbal, J, Shakoor, MB, Ahmad, A, Shah, NS, Bhattacharya, P, Mao, K, Bundschuh, J, Ok, YS and Zhang, H (2021) Arsenic biogeochemical cycling in paddy soil-rice system: interaction with various factors, amendments, and mineral nutrients. Science of The Total Environment 773, 145040.Google Scholar
Imbulana, KAUS, Wijesekera, NTS and Neupane, BR (2006) Sri Lanka National Water Development Report. Sri Lanka, Paris and New Delhi: MAI and MD, UN-WWAP, UNESCO, and University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.Google Scholar
Indraratne, SP (2006) Occurrence of organo-mineral complexes in relation to clay mineralogy of some Sri Lankan soils. Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka 34, 29–36.Google Scholar
Indraratne, SP (2020) Soil mineralogy. In The Soils of Sri Lanka. Cham: Springer, pp. 35–47.Google Scholar
Jaishankar, M, Tseten, T, Anbalagan, N, Mathew, BB and Beeregowda, KN (2014) Toxicity, mechanism, and health effects of some heavy metals. Interdisciplinary Toxicology 7, 60–72.Google Scholar
Jayawardana, DT, Pitawala, HMTGA and Ishiga, H (2014) Assessment of soil geochemistry around some selected agricultural sites of Sri Lanka. Environmental Earth Sciences 71, 4097–4106.Google Scholar
Kadupitiya, HK, Madushan, RND, Gunawardhane, D, Sirisena, D, Rathnayake, U, Dissanayaka, DMSB, Ariyaratne, M, Marambe, B and Suriyagoda, L (2022) Mapping productivity-related spatial characteristics in rice-based cropping systems in Sri Lanka. Journal of Geovisualisation and Spatial Analysis 6, 26.Google Scholar
Kadupitiya, HK, Madushan, RN, Rathnayake, UK, Thilakasiri, R, Dissanayaka, SB, Ariyaratne, M and Suriyagoda, L (2021) Use of smartphones for rapid location tracking in mega scale soil sampling. Open Journal of Applied Sciences 11, 239.Google Scholar
Kar, S, Das, S, Jean, JS, Chakraborty, S and Liu, CC (2013) Arsenic in the water–soil–plant system and the potential health risks in the coastal part of Chianan Plain, Southwestern Taiwan. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 77, 295–302.Google Scholar
Khan, S, Cao, Q, Zheng, YM, Huang, YZ and Zhu, YG (2008) Health risks of heavy metals in contaminated soils and food crops irrigated with wastewater in Beijing, China. Environmental Pollution 152, 686–692.Google Scholar
Kögel-Knabner, I, Amelung, W, Cao, Z, Fiedler, S, Frenzel, P, Jahn, R, Kalbitz, K, Kölbl, A and Schloter, M (2010) Biogeochemistry of paddy soils. Geoderma 157, 1–14.Google Scholar
Kumarathilaka, P, Seneweera, S, Meharg, A and Bundschuh, J (2018) Arsenic speciation dynamics in paddy rice soil-water environment: sources, physico-chemical, and biological factors - a review. Water Research 140, 403–414.Google Scholar
Li, RY, Ago, Y, Liu, WJ, Mitani, N, Feldmann, J, McGrath, SP, Ma, JF and Zhao, FJ (2009) The rice aquaporin Lsi1 mediates uptake of methylated arsenic species. Plant Physiology 150, 2071–2080.Google Scholar
Li, W, Cao, CY, Wu, LY, Ge, MF and Song, WG (2011) Superb fluoride and arsenic removal performance of highly ordered mesoporous aluminas. Journal of Hazardous Materials 198, 143–150.Google Scholar
Ma, R, Shen, J, Wu, J, Tang, Z, Shen, Q and Zhao, FJ (2014) Impact of agronomic practices on arsenic accumulation and speciation in rice grain. Environmental Pollution 194, 217–223.Google Scholar
Mapa, RB (1992) Clay mineralogy of six Sri Lankan Soils. Geological Society of Sri Lanka 4, 45–47.Google Scholar
Mapa, RB, Somasiri, S and Nagarajah, S (1999) Soils of the Wet Zone of Sri Lanka: Morphology, Characterization and Classification. Colombo: Soil Science Society of Sri Lanka, Survodaya Publishers.Google Scholar
Masscheleyn, PH, Delaune, RD and Patrick, WH Jr (1991) Effect of redox potential and pH on arsenic speciation and solubility in a contaminated soil. Environmental Science and Technology 25, 1414–1419.Google Scholar
Meharg, AA (2004) Arsenic in rice - understanding a new disaster for South-East Asia. Trends in Plant Sciences 9, 415–417.Google Scholar
Navaratne, URB, Dissanayake, CB and Perera, PSA (1996) The geochemistry of alkali and alkaline earth metals in soils of the central province of Sri Lanka. Journal of the Geological Society of Sri Lanka 5, 105–113.Google Scholar
Oremland, RS and Stolz, JF (2003) The ecology of arsenic. Science 300, 939–944.Google Scholar
Pan, W, Wu, C, Xue, S and Hartley, W (2014) Arsenic dynamics in the rhizosphere and its sequestration on rice roots as affected by root oxidation. Journal of Environmental Sciences 26, 892–899.Google Scholar
Perera, AJD, Carey, M, De Silva, PMCS, Meharg, C and Meharg, AA (2022) Trace elements and arsenic speciation of field and market rice samples in contrasting agro-climatic zones in Sri Lanka. Exposure and Health 15, 133–144.Google Scholar
Perera, WPRT, Dayananda, MDNR, Dissanayake, DMUC, Rathnasekara, RASD, Botheju, WSM, Liyanage, JA and Kularathne, KAM (2021) Risk assessment of trace element contamination in drinking water and agricultural soil: a study in selected chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) endemic areas in Sri Lanka. Journal of Chemistry 2021, 1–10.Google Scholar
Punyawarden, BVR (2020) Climate. In Mapa, RB (ed.), The Soils of Sri Lanka. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 13–22.Google Scholar
Punshon, T, Jackson, BP, Meharg, AA, Warczack, T, Scheckel, K and Guerinot, ML (2017) Understanding arsenic dynamics in agronomic systems to predict and prevent uptake by crop plants. Science of The Total Environment 581–582, 209–220.Google Scholar
Roberts, LC, Hug, SJ, Ruettimann, T, Billah, MM, Khan, AW and Rahman, MT (2004) Arsenic removal with iron(II) and iron(III) in waters with high silicate and phosphate concentrations. Environmental Science and Technology 38, 307–315.Google Scholar
Römkens, PFAM, Guo, HY, Chu, CL, Liu, TS, Chiang, CF and Koopmans, GF (2009) Prediction of cadmium uptake by brown rice and derivation of soil–plant transfer models to improve soil protection guidelines. Environmental Pollution 157, 2435–2444.Google Scholar
Rubasinghe, RT, Gunatilake, SK and Chandrajith, R (2021) Climatic control of major and trace elements in paddy soils from wet and dry regions of Sri Lanka. Environmental Challenges 5, 100361.Google Scholar
Sahoo, PK and Kim, K (2013) A review of the arsenic concentration in paddy rice from the perspective of geoscience. Geosciences Journal 17, 107–122.Google Scholar
Saha, I, Durand-Morat, A, Nalley, LL, Alam, MJ and Nayga, R (2021) Rice quality and its impacts on food security and sustainability in Bangladesh. PLOS One 16, e0261118.Google Scholar
Samsuri, AW, Sadegh-Zadeh, F and Seh-Bardan, BJ (2013) Adsorption of As(III) and As(V) by Fe coated biochars and biochars produced from empty fruit bunch and rice husk. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 1, 981–988.Google Scholar
Seyfferth, AL, Morris, AH, Gill, R, Kearns, KA, Mann, JN, Paukett, M and Leskanic, C (2016) Soil incorporation of silica-rich rice husk decreases inorganic arsenic in rice grain. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 64, 3760–3766.Google Scholar
Singh, N, Kumar, D and Sahu, AP (2007) Arsenic in the environment: effects on human health and possible prevention. Journal of Environmental Biology 28, 359.Google Scholar
Sirisena, D and Suriyagoda, LDB (2018) Toward sustainable phosphorus management in Sri Lankan rice and vegetable-based cropping systems: a review. Agriculture and Natural Resources, 52, 9–15.Google Scholar
Stroud, JL, Norton, GJ, Islam, MR, Dasgupta, T, White, RP, Price, AH, Meharg, AA, McGrath, SP and Zhao, FJ (2011) The dynamics of arsenic in four paddy fields in the Bengal delta. Environmental Pollution 159, 947–953.Google Scholar
Suriyagoda, LDB, Dittert, K and Lambers, H (2018a) Mechanism of arsenic uptake, translocation and plant resistance to accumulate arsenic in rice grains. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 253, 23–37.Google Scholar
Suriyagoda, LDB, Dittert, K and Lambers, H (2018b) Arsenic in rice soils and potential agronomic mitigation strategies to reduce arsenic bioavailability: a review. Pedosphere 28, 363–382.Google Scholar
Syu, CH, Huang, CC, Jiang, PY, Lee, CH and Lee, DY (2015) Arsenic accumulation and speciation in rice grains influenced by arsenic phytotoxicity and rice genotypes grown in arsenic-elevated paddy soils. Journal of Hazardous Materials 286, 179–186.Google Scholar
Upadhyay, AK, Singh, NK, Singh, R and Rai, UN (2016) Amelioration of arsenic toxicity in rice: Comparative effect of inoculation of Chlorella vulgaris and Nannochloropsis sp. on growth, biochemical changes and arsenic uptake. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 124, 68–73.Google Scholar
Van Erp, PJ, Houba, VJG, Reijneveld, JA and Van Beusichem, ML (2001) Relationship between magnesium extracted by 0.01 M calcium chloride extraction procedure and conventional procedures. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 32, 1–18.Google Scholar
Wang, X, Huang, R, Li, L, He, S, Yan, L, Wang, H, Wu, X, Yin, Y and Xing, B (2019) Arsenic removal from flooded paddy soil with spontaneous hygrophyte markedly attenuates rice grain arsenic. Environment International 133, 105–159.Google Scholar
Wang, S and Mulligan, CN (2006) Effect of natural organic matter on arsenic release from soils and sediments into groundwater. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 28, 197–214.Google Scholar
Weerasooriya, R, Tobschall, HJ, Wijesekara, HKDK, Arachchige, EKIAUK and Pathirathne, KAS (2003) On the mechanistic modeling of As(III) adsorption on gibbsite. Chemosphere 51, 1001–1013.Google Scholar
WHO (2016) Arsenic International Programme on Chemical Safety. Health Impacts of Chemicals, World Health Organization. Geneva: WHO.Google Scholar
Woolson, EA (1977) Fate of arsenicals in different environmental substrates. Environmental Health Perspectives 19, 73–81.Google Scholar
Yamaguchi, N, Nakamura, T, Dong, D, Takahashi, Y, Amachi, S and Makino, T (2011) Arsenic release from flooded paddy soils is influenced by speciation, Eh, pH, and iron dissolution. Chemosphere 83, 925–932.Google Scholar
Ye, WL, Khan, MA, McGrath, SP and Zhao, FJ (2011) Phytoremediation of arsenic contaminated paddy soils with Pteris vittata markedly reduces arsenic uptake by rice. Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex: 1987) 159, 3739–3743.Google Scholar
Yu, HY, Wang, X, Li, F, Li, B, Liu, C, Wang, Q and Lei, J (2017) Arsenic mobility and bioavailability in paddy soil under iron compound amendments at different growth stages of rice. Environmental Pollution 224, 136–147.Google Scholar
Yuan, H, Wan, Q, Huang, Y, Chen, Z, He, X, Gustave, W and Xu, J (2021) Warming facilitates microbial reduction and release of arsenic in flooded paddy soil and arsenic accumulation in rice grains. Journal of Hazardous Materials 408, 124913.Google Scholar
Xie, ZM and Huang, CY (1998) Control of arsenic toxicity in rice plants grown on an arsenic-polluted paddy soil. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 29, 2471–2477.Google Scholar
Zbíral, J and Němec, P (2005) Comparison of Mehlich 2, Mehlich 3, CAL, Schachtschabel, 0.01 M CaCl2 and Aqua Regia extractants for determination of potassium in soils. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 36, 795–803.Google Scholar
Zeng, X, He, Q, Bai, L, Li, L and Su, S (2011) The arsenic speciation transformation in artificially arsenic-contaminated fluvo-aquic soil (Beijing, China). Plant, Soil and Environment 57, 108–114.Google Scholar
Zheng, R, Sun, G and Zhu, Y (2013) Effects of microbial processes on the fate of arsenic in paddy soil. Chinese Science Bulletin 58, 186–193.Google Scholar