Cadmium content in cocoa almonds and soils from Ocumare de La Costa, Venezuela. In: Agrotrópica v. 11 p. 133-140, 1999.

Abstract

Ocumare de La Costa in Aragua State, Venezuela, is one of the most important areas of cocoa production. Although almost all cocoa almonds are exported, there are nor references of heavy metal contents, representing a disadvantage for commercialization. This study examine the contents of cadmium in cocoa almonds and soils in order to establish background and contamination levels, the effects of several soil properties over cadmium accumulation in almonds and obtain information about the chemical forms of the element through a sequential extraction procedure. Results showed soil Cd concentrations close to international accepted background levels, with slightly enrichment in samples taken near the roads. In cocoa almonds, the heavy metal was present in a concentration range of 0.01 to 0.10 mg.g-1. Regression analysis showed that Cd accumulation in almond is controlled by Cd-total soil concentration, rather that other soil properties. Fractionation of soil Cd showed that most of the cadmium was present under very insoluble forms, followed by oxide and organic bonded Cd. In general, these soils are unpolluted and Cd present in almonds does not affect the high quality of this Venezuelan product.