Cadmium distribution within corn plants as a function of cadmium loading of the soil

Corn is a widespread crop in some industrialized areas of Northern Italy and Europe where it serves for both animal and human nutrition. In the present paper we examined the distribution of Cd within corn plants grown under both hydroponic and field conditions. The results obtained show that Cd accumulation by different plant tissues may reach saturation without signs of phytotoxicity. Thus cadmium pollution can go undetected even when corn plants are grown in the presence of a consistent amount of Cd. Its accumulation within plant tissues is responsible for the entry of the metal into the food chain. Implications for human and animal nutrition are discussed.