Potential crop contamination by heavy metals

There were obvious worries about the impact of the use of heavy metals on the environment, on the soil and on the plants grown under films containing the proposed formulation. In collaboration with Casalicchio and Bertoluzza of the Bologna University, Department of Agriculture, Italy, research lasting three years was carried out in order to investigate this concern. Attention was paid to the nickel component as the iron contained in the films is not a pollutant and is not considered harmful to vegetation. It may, in fact, be considered useful in cases of ferric chlorosis which is very common in calcareous soils. 

Since there is a need to know over a short period of time the hypothetical maximum allowable dose which will not harm the plants or the soil, nickel was put into the soil in greatly increased doses, simulating the continuous use of plastic mulch on the same piece of land for up to 180 years. By working this way the worst scenario is envisaged, so that during one year the vegetable is in 

4 = Gabbro with minerals rich in iron with medium metamorphic degree 

6 = Crystalline rock with vitreous pulp and with basic pyroxene groups 

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