Bioaccumulation and translocation of heavy metals in paddy (Oryza sativa L.) and soil in different land use practices

Rice tends to accumulate heavy metals present in soil that have been introduced by humanactivities and pass them up the food chain. The present study aimed to evaluate the accumulation ofselected trace elements (Cu, Zn, and Pb) in paddy and soil and the transfer of these metals from soil torice by analysing the bioconcentration factor (BCF), bioaccumulation factor (BAF), and translocationfactor (TF) of heavy metals in paddy (Oryza sativaL.) and soil. Samples of matured paddy and thesubstrates were collected from three different areas located near a rural point (RP), a transportationpoint (TP), and an industrial point (IP). Heavy metal concentrations present in the soil and variousparts of the plants were ascertained using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Cu, Zn,and Pb accumulation in the soil were detected in increasing orders of RP > TP > IP, IP > TP > RP,and IP > RP > TP, respectively. The BCFshoot, BAF, and transfer factor of both Zn and Pb from soil torice were detected in the order of TP > IP > RP, which was different from Cu, where BCFshootand TFshowed the order of RP > IP > TP but the BAF indicated IP > RP > TP. TF > 1 was discovered for Znand Pb at the TP, and for Cu at the RP, which could be attributed to the TP’s strongly acidic soil andCu’s abundance in the RP’s soil. Paddy height and yield traits were the most significant at the IP site,showing the highest number of fertile spikelets, the average weight of a 1000-paddy spikelet, andthe harvest index (0.56). These findings can be related to the normal range of Zn and Pb found inrice plants that support growth. Thus, the findings of this study demonstrated that soil propertiesand metal abundance in soil from certain land use practices can partially influence the mobility andtransfer of metals through soil–plant pathways.