Author(s)

Diane Madomguia^1,2, Gilbert Bello Basokdou¹, Kalieu W. Appoline Isabelle¹, Patrice Kuitekam Dongo³, Edouard Nya³, Serge Hubert Zebaze Togouet⁴

¹Department of Hydraulics and Water Management, National Advanced School of Engineering, University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon.
²Research Center of Global Studies with Multidisciplinary Units (CREGUM), Maroua, Cameroon.
³National Laboratory of Analysis of Agricultural Inputs and Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Messa-Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁴Department of Animal Physiology and Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Monitoring of heavy metals contamination of agricultural products and their transfer and bioaccumulation in crops like rice has become a hot topic worldwide over the last two decades. The present study was carried out to determine the accumulation of heavy metals in rice fields and their transfer to rice grains. Soil, irrigation water and rice grains samples were gathered in Maga-Pouss, Far-North, Cameroon. Concentrations of six heavy metals (lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, iron and mercury) were evaluated by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Mercury was not detected in this study. Average concentrations of metals were in this order (in mg/kg): Fe (188.60 ± 97.06) > Pb (63.63 ± 7.11) > Cd (2.59 ± 0.29) > Zn (1.10 ± 1.05) > Cu (0.80 ± 0.73) in water and Pb (105.50 ± 31.11) > Fe (105.50 ± 31.11) > Cu (45.93 ± 14.39) > Zn (22.52 ± 6.40) > Cd (3.15 ± 0.49) in soil. Water in Maga-Pouss rice fields appears to be more harmful than the soil, notably for lead, cadmium and copper. In rice grains, heavy metals were found in this order (mg/kg): Fe (188.01 ± 82.62) > Cu (27.20 ± 0.00) > Zn (23.61 ± 12.42) > Pb (19.50 ± 19.91) > Cd (2.02 ± 1.05). The mean bioconcentration factor (BCF) of metals from soil to rice grains was in the following order: Fe (2.60) > Zn (1.05) > Cd (0.64) > Cu (0.59) > Pb (0.18). From water to rice grains, the order is: Cu (37.26) > Zn (22.49) > Cd (6.97) > Pb (2.74) > Fe (1.94). Rice field pH and electrical conductivity favored the uptake of lead, copper and cadmium by rice grains. The findings of this study will be good documentation for risk assessment, and decision-making by environmental managers in this region.

Heavy Metals, Rice Field, Bioconcenration Factor, Maga-Pouss, Accumulation

Madomguia, D. , Basokdou, G. , Appoline Isabelle, K. , Dongo, P. , Nya, E. and Togouet, S. (2024) Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Maga-Pouss Rice Fields (Far-North Region, Cameroon) and Transfer to Rice Grains. Agricultural Sciences, 15, 311-326. doi: 10.4236/as.2024.153018.