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Abstract
Arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) contents were measured in agricultural supplies used at different farms in São Paulo State, Brazil. The highest mass fractions of As were found in thermophosphates, reaching levels of 4 mg/kg. The highest mass fractions of Cr (21 g/kg) were found in calcium magnesium silicate, while the thermophosphates also presented high values reaching approximately 1 g/kg. The levels of As were within Brazilian guidelines, but the values of Cr in thermophosphates exceeded the levels permitted in Brazil. The As content in fertilizers may be considered safe (<5 mg/kg) in terms of environmental pollution. However, the Cr content in calcium magnesium silicate following continuous use may constitute a significant problem in Brazil due to potentially increasing levels of this metal in soils.
The authors are also thankful to Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for scholarship. The authors are thankful to the staff and operators of the nuclear research reactor IEA-R1, of Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear (IPEN/CNEN), for carrying out the irradiations.