Determination of cadmium levels in agricultural areas of Carşamba and Bafra plains.

Cadmium pollution resulted from fertilizer applications were studied by determining cadmium levels in agricultural and non-agricultural soils of Bafra and Carşamba plains. Soil samples of 68 were collected from agricultural (34) and non-agricultural (34) areas. The sample of 2 g was placed in a test tube and digested with hydrochloric acid and nitric acid mixture (3:1, v/v) in an aluminum block. Taking up the evaporated residue was dissolved in 1% nitric acid and total cadmium concentrations were determined with GF-AAS. Mean level of cadmium contents were found in agricultural areas 0.162 +/- 0.078 for Carşamba and 0.433 +/- 0.288 mg kg(-1) for Bafra. The accuracy of the method was tested with determining cadmium contents of standard reference material and cadmium spiked soil samples.