Background and reference values for the cadmium contents of Brazilian soils compared

International audienceThe difficulty on quality assessment of soils arises is in part due to distinguish pollutant sources, natural or anthropogenic. Compare this different sources backgrounds and guiding values is very important to instruction on regulations and legislation in general, for heavy metals contents, among other chemical components, and are pointing to more restrictive use of cadmium - rich phosphate fertilisers in many countries. Recognize and characterize contaminated soils is a serious concern with issues that whole society have to deal with today and one of the largest and most neglected problems in Brazil. This work intends to obtain an insight in the natural sources and loads of heavy metals, especially cadmium to soils in Brazil, mainly with the application of huge volume of mineral fertilisers, directly linked with their dangerous concentrations. This is a threat to public health in many regions, and it is one of the priorities to protect it from all sources of anomalous concentration in the ground. Decreasing soil quality by means of contamination and pollution by heavy metals is now recognized also as a serious risk for environmental quality and to the health of people