Metais e elementos terras raras em solos da Amazônia oriental

Abstract

The Amazon region is the last agricultural frontier in Brazil and hold an ecosystem that needs constant environmental monitoring. For this reason, studies to understanding of the dynamics of metals/metalloids and rare earth elements in that soils are useful. With this information, identification and control of potential sources of pollution will become more effective, besides subsidizing the understanding of the processes involved in soil formation. The aim is proposing an update of the quality reference values (QRVs) and evaluating the distribution of rare earth elements in different soil classes. Soils firom the soil sample bank of Pará were selected for chemical and granulometric and characterization; obtaining the natural contents of these elements firom acid digestions and determinations by spectrometry (optical and mass). The background concentrations of metals/metalloids were used for the defmition of new quality reference values after elimination of anomalous values and consequent identification of database 75th and 90th percentiles. While the normalized rare earth elements concentrations to an externai reference, their distribution patterns were evaluated through genetic types of rocks and the soil types. The soils have high acidity, low leveis of bases and organic matter and high heterogeneity of geomorphological characteristics, which caused low concentrations of natural background. The updated soil quality reference values were considered lower than those defined in other states, as well as in relation to the prevention values defined in the Conama act. Total contents of rare earth elements are lower than the mean reported for Brazilian soils, in both layers and abundance follows the order: Ce > La > Nd > Pr > Gd > Sm > Dy > Yb > Er > Eu > Ho > Tb > Lu > Tm. In general, soils firom the State of Pará has heavy REE enrichment and light REE depletion, this behavior was confirmed by the grouping of HREE in the first factor of the multivariate factor analysis. In view of the results of quality reference values, the recommendation to use the 90th percentile to formalize a list of VRQs for the state of Pará is effectual and allowing state authorities to establish public policies for monitoring and prevention of soil quality based on the real conditions of this region. On the other hand, the low rare earth elements contents are a consequence of the sand fraction dominance in the superficial layers, influencing the process of distribution and fractionation of rare earth elements in Amazonian soils.