Bioaccumulation of lead in soybeans grown in naturally polluted soils

The ability of plant species to take up lead from polluted soils may vary due to soil properties and the level of pollution. This study aimed to investigate the capability of soybeans to take up and translocate Pb in different plant parts, such as roots, stems, shoots, pods, and seeds. For that purpose, five soybean varieties with different vegetation periods were grown in naturally polluted soils. Soil and plant samples were digested and analyzed by ICP-MS. Calculated biotransfer factors indicate a low ability of soybeans to distribute Pb in the above-ground parts of plants. It was noticed that the content of Pb in the soil has the greatest influence on its accumulation compared to the soil acidity. The ability of the soybean to distribute Pb in the seed was the lowest. Anyway, despite this, the results suggest that soybeans grown in highly polluted soil pose a potential risk for human and animal health due to their ability to store lead in seeds above the permitted concentrations. Keywords: soybean, lead, bioaccumulation, soil pollution, soil acidity, health risk.