ASSESSMENT OF SOME HEAVY METALS IN RICE(ORYZA SATIVA) FIELDS IN PERLIS NORTHERN MALAYSIA

Abstract

Three heavy metals, namely, Cd, Pb, and Ni, were assessed in five separate locations of rice cultivation fields at two soil depths. This study included most rice cultivation lands in Perlis northern Malaysia during wet season in 2014. Results showed that Cd exceeds the allowable limit in all studied sites. The ratio in site 3 is higher than that of other sites (3.97 and 4.12 mg.kg−1 soil) in the 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil depths, respectively. The results of both Pb and Ni are within allowable limit. In site (2), the highest Pb ratio (0.28 and 0.27 m.kg−1 soil) was obtained for the 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil depths, respectively. The highest Ni concentration in site 2 (3.87 m.kg−1 soil) was achieved at the 0–15 cm soil depth and in site (5) (2.34 m.kg−1 soil) at the 15–30 cm soil depth. Results showed that the values of heavy metals vary according to soil depth