Arsenic in Agricultural Soils of Slovakia

The article presents the current distribution of arsenic in agricultural soils of Slovakia. The current concentration of arsenic (extracted with aqua regia) was measured and evaluated based on 318 monitoring sites of national soil monitoring system in Slovakia. Based on the obtained results, one can state that the average content of arsenic is lower than the valid hygienic limit for arsenic (25 mg.kg-1) for predominated sandy-loamy and loamy soils in Slovakia. Increased values of arsenic were determined only for the Horná – Upper Nitra region (anthropogenic impact) – 24.5 mg.kg-1 and for the Stredný – Central Spiš region (mixed anthrophogenic and geogenic impact) – 129.5 mg.kg-1. These regions belong to the most arsenic-affected regions in Slovakia, where the content of bioavailable forms of arsenic is also increased in the range of 0.013–0.997 mg.kg-1. The hygienic limit for bioavailable arsenic in soils of Slovakia is 0.4 mg.kg-1. Finally, there is a serious risk of arsenic transport from soil into the plants and food chain especially in case of acid soils. A higher risk of As presence seems to be in anthropogenically affected soils.