Research and evaluation of heavy metal content in soil and irrigation water in the area of safety vegetable production of Thua Thien Hue province

1. General information:

- Project title: Research and evaluation of heavy metal content in soil and irrigation water in the area of safety vegetable production of Thua Thien Hue province

- Code number: DHH 2013 – 02 - 30

- Coordinator: Nguyen Thanh Binh

- Implementing institution: University of Agriculture and Forestry

- Cooperating institution(s): Huong An and Huong Chu wards

- Duration: from 1/2013 to 12/2014.

2. Objective(s):

- Research and evaluate concentrations of certain heavy metals such as As, Cu, Cd, Zn in cultivation soil and Hg, Cd, Pb in water irrigation of vegetable production area.

- Take out the data on the status of heavy metals in soil and water in the study area as a basis for planning the construction area clean vegetable cultivation in the province towards a safe and sustainable .

3. Creativeness and innovativeness:

General information on the status, potential and conditions for safe vegetable production areas following VietGAP at Huong An and Huong Chu wards, Huong Tra town, Thua Thien Hue province.

4. Research results:

- Most households have small size of vegetable growing area. Because there is not planning and scientific technology, then growing vegetable areas still fragmented, producing spontaneous seasonal, unstable yield, remaining passive in consumption of the product resulting in low economic efficiency .

-Vegetable species grown in 2 wards extremely diverse and plentiful, but only certain species grown in popularity, they have contributed significantly to the income of farmers. Vegetable species are growing in popularity as lettuce, onions, coriander and basil. The yield of vegetables is not high and unstable, onion vegetable has highest yield of about 10 quintals/season and a profit of over 7 million/ha.

- Both wards are located quite far from the industry factory and the big industrial area and water environment should not be affected much, polluting factors mainly due to the habits of the people in the use of fertilizers, plant protection products during cultivation. Result analysis of some basic heavy metals such as As, Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn in 20 soil sample of vegetables and Hg, Cd, Pb in 16 water samples at 2 wards shows concentrations of heavy metals in vegetables soil and water are below the threshold under regulations set by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

- Huong An and Huong Chu wards have favorable conditions for human labor, soil condition, product distribution to build a major vegetable growing areas of Thua Thien Hue province.

5. Products:

- Scientific product: 1 paper published in the scientific journal of the University of Hue

- Training product: 2 Bachelors

- Applied product: The analysis of data on the status of heavy metals in the study area.

6. Effects, transfer alternatives of research results and applicability:

From the survey data, a summary of the current status of vegetable production and analysis of heavy metals contents in soil and water may serve as a basis for assessing the potential to develop safety vegetable production areas in 2 wards of Huong An and Huong Chu, Huong Tra town, Thua Thien Hue province.