Beáta Volnová

Potatoes – A crop resistant against input of heavy metals from the metallicaly contaminated soil

abstract The objective of our study was to assess the extent of accumulation of cadmium, lead and zinc in potato tubers depending on the concentration of these heavy metals in soil and to evaluate the resistance of 11 cultivars of potato cultivated in 5 localities of the Slovakia against input of these heavy metals into the consumption part of potato. Contents of Cd (Pb, Zn) in soil were 0.94–2.54 (18.03–24.90, 35.71–72.40) mg/kg in soil extract by aqua regia and 0.030–0.188 (0.149–0.356, 0.052–0.238) mg/kg in soil extract by NH4NO3. The contents of Cd, Pb, and Zn were determined in potatoes in extracts of freeze-dried samples and expressed in mg/kg of fresh matter (FM). Determined contents of heavy metals were in the range of ND–0.058 mg Cd/kg FM, 0.020–0.630 mg Pb/kg FM, 1.836–3.457 mg Zn/kg FM, resp. The statistically significant correlation between heavy metal content in soil and its content in potato tubers were confirmed only: cv. Laura – Spissky Stvrtok (Cd), cv. Red Anna – Odorin (Pb) and Marabel, Red Anna – Odorin, cv. Marabel – Belusa, cv. Volumia – Imel (Zn).

The content of total polyphenols in different varieties of Solanum tuberosum grow in Spiš area.

essential source of polyphenol compounds. Phenolic compounds are the predominant antioxidants in nutrition and their study is currently being paid much attention. These antioxidants act synergistically; polyphenol compounds protect vitamin C and β-carotene, which in turn helps to increase the effect of vitamin E. Potatoes are very popular vegetables in Slovakia, not only in terms that they are easy to prepare, but also by the fact that they combine the wholesomeness of cereals and delicacy and characteristic chemical composition of vegetables. It is important that they find their place in our diet. Nutritional value of potatoes is determined by the content of nutrients such as protein, starch, fat, minerals, and absence of toxins, as well as by a significant content of bioactive components from the group of polyphenols. The study was performed in order to analyse 7 Slovak potato varieties from Spis area, according to biologically active compounds: such as polyphenols. The content of total polyphenols was determined by the method of Lachman et al., (2003). The lowest determined content of total polyphenol (mg.kg -1 dry matter) in locality Spisský Stvrtok was measured in a variety Victoria (795.05 mg.kg -1 dry matter) and the highest content of total polyphenols in locality Spisský Stvrtok was measured in variety Laura (1238.42 mg.kg -1 dry matter). In the locality Odorin was determine the lowest content of total polyphenols in variety Red Anna (974.09 mg.kg -1 dry matter) and the highest content of total polyphenols was determined in variety Laura (978.95 mg.kg -1 dry matter). Between all varieties in locality Spisský Stvrtok was confirmed the statistically significant difference in the influence of the variety in the contents of total polyphenols (mg.kg -1 DM). This varietal dependence was not appear in samples taken in the locality Odorin. The total polyphenols content of the potatoes can be influenced by other factors, for example locality. In this case, there were statistically significant differences in the content of total polyphenols in variety Laura obtained from two different localities.

Factors affecting heavy metals accumulation in potato tubers / Czynniki wpływające na akumulację metali ciężkich w bulwach ziemniaka

Abstract Soil is one of the most important sources of plant foods’ contamination by heavy metals which enter into human and animal organisms via the food chain. From the observed metals (Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd) the enhanced total contents of Cd and contents of mobile forms of Pb were determined. Especially mobile forms of Pb in soil (0.100-0.295 mg∙kg-1), higher than the critical value, represent a risk resulting in the high content of Pb in potatoes (0.244-0.855 mg∙kg-1 FM). The high significant correlations between soil and potatoes in values of Pb content and were between soil pH values and Pb content in potatoes were confirmed in two from three potato cultivars (P-value < 0.01). No correlation was confirmed between humus content in soil and Pb content in potatoes. Streszczenie Badano wpływ wybranych czynników agrochemicznych na akumulację metali ciężkich w bulwach ziemniaka. Gleby uprawne mogą być zanieczyszczone metalami ciężkimi. Pierwiastki, które występują w glebach w formach biodostępnych (mobilnych) mogą zostać włączone do obiegu biologicznego, mając tym samym negatywny wpływ na jakość plonów i zdrowie konsumentów/ człowieka. W badanych glebach oznaczono całkowitą zawartość: Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd oraz udział tych pierwiastków w formach mobilnych. Spośród badanych pierwiastków najbardziej mobilnym metalem był ołów, którego zakres zawartości w formach mobilnych wynosił: 0,100-0,295 mg∙kg-1, przekraczając dopuszczalne wartości dla tego pierwiastka. Zawartość ołowiu w ziemniakach wynosiła: 0.244-0.855 mg∙kg-1 FM. Analiza statystyczna wykazała istotną korelację pomiędzy zawartością pierwiastków w formach mobilnych i ich zawartością w ziemniakach oraz między odczynem badanych gleb, a całkowitą zawartością ołowiu w ziemniakach. Nie zaobserwowano istotnej statystycznie korelacji pomiędzy zawartością próchnicy w glebach a zawartością ołowiu w ziemniakach

Does consumption of potatoes cultivated in soils contaminated by heavy metals pose any risk to human health? / Czy istnieje ryzyko związane ze spożyciem ziemniaków uprawianych w glebach zanieczyszczonych metalami ciężkimi?

Abstract Soil is one of the most important environmental backgrounds, as it provides water and nutrients for plant production. It is the starting point for the entry of heavy metals into plants and then into the food chain. Of risk elements studied (Zn, Ni, Cd, Pb), we found increased Cd and Pb content in the soil extract by aqua regia and NH4NO3, respectively. More than twofold content of Pb mobile forms (0.218 mg • kg-1 ) resulted in enhanced Pb content in tubers of all three potato cultivars: cv. Volumia 0.404, cv. Cicero 0.580 and cv. Mozart 0.638 mg • kg-1 FM. In all investigated cultivars, highly statistically significant differences in content of Pb between studied potato cultivars (P-value<0.01) were confirmed. Streszczenie Gleba należy do najważniejszych elementów środowiska, dostarczając wodę i składniki odżywcze do uprawy roślin. Stanowi początkowy etap wprowadzania metali ciężkich do roślin a następnie do łańcucha pokarmowego. Spośród badanych pierwiastków stanowiących zagrożenie (Zn, Ni, Cd, Pb), stwierdzono podwyższone zwartości Cd i Pb w roztworze glebowym po zastosowaniu odpowiednio wody królewskiej i NH4NO3. Ponad 2-krotne stężenie mobilnych form Pb (0.218 mg • kg-1) spowodowało podwyższoną zawartość Pb w bulwach wszystkich trzech kultywarów ziemniaka: cv. Volumia 0.404, cv. Cicero 0.580 i cv. Mozart 0.638 mg • kg-1 FM. We wszystkich badanych kultywarach potwierdzono istotne statystycznie różnice w zawartości Pb (P<0.01).