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Copper prevention values in Brazilian subtropical soils
Thiago Ramos Freitas1, Rafaela Alves Dos Santos Peron1, Luis Carlos Iuñes de Oliveira Filho1
1Santa Catarina State University, Center for Agroveterinary Sciences, Department of Soils and Natural Resources, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Chemosphere
|January 6, 2025
Summary
Brazilian soil quality guidelines for copper (PV) were tested using soil invertebrates. Results show copper negatively impacts reproduction, with calculated PVs higher than the current national standard, suggesting the current regulation may not be sufficiently protective.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Toxicology
- Soil Science
- Ecotoxicology
Background:
- Brazilian National Environmental Council (CONAMA) Resolution 420/2009 sets soil quality guideline values for copper, known as prevention values (PV).
- These PVs define maximum permissible concentrations of chemical substances in soil, crucial for environmental protection and risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the national copper PV established by CONAMA Resolution 420/2009.
- To assess the impact of copper on soil invertebrates in Brazilian subtropical soils.
Main Methods:
- Exposure assays were conducted using enchytraeids (Enchytraeus crypticus, Enchytraeus bigeminus, Enchytraeus dudichi) and springtails (Folsomia candida, Proisotoma minuta, Sinella curviseta).
- Tests were performed in two Brazilian subtropical soils: a Latosol and an Argisol.
- Reproductive capacity of invertebrates was measured at varying copper concentrations to determine effective concentrations (EC20 and EC50).
Main Results:
- Copper significantly reduced the reproductive capacity of all tested soil organisms as concentrations increased.
- Argisol exhibited lower effective concentrations (EC20 and EC50) for reproduction compared to Latosol across all species.
- Enchytraeid E. bigeminus was the most sensitive species, while springtail S. curviseta showed higher EC20 values and P. minuta had the highest EC50 values.
Conclusions:
- Calculated PVs based on species sensitivity distribution (SSD) were 172 mg kg⁻¹ (EC50) and 158 mg kg⁻¹ (EC20) for Latosol, and 106 mg kg⁻¹ (EC50) and 100 mg kg⁻¹ (EC20) for Argisol.
- The calculated PVs are substantially higher than the Brazilian adopted PV for copper (60 mg kg⁻¹).
- This suggests that the current CONAMA Resolution 420/2009 may not be sufficiently protective against copper toxicity in these Brazilian soils.
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