Toxic metals in wheat grain: do they come from the soil or the fertilizer?
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 17-Dec-2025 18:12 ET (17-Dec-2025 23:12 GMT/UTC)
Plants absorb not only nutrients but also toxic metals such as cadmium through their roots. It was previously unclear whether the toxic metals came from the soil or the fertilisers applied. Under the leadership of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, a research team has examined wheat grains to clarify the question. Using a special isotope signature, they found that most of the toxic metals come from the mineral fertiliser. A combination of mineral and organic fertilisation would not only reduce the concentration of toxic metals but also increase the concentration of metals important for human nutrition. The researchers reach this conclusion in their study published in Environment International.
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