Copper interactions on arsenic bioavailability and phytotoxicity in soil

Abstract Arsenic (As) and copper (Cu) are co-contaminants in the environment but little is known about their ecological impact as mixtures in soil. In this study, we investigated the combined As-Cu interactions on toxicity and uptake as binary mixtures in 5 contrasting soils. The study included solubility, contaminant uptake and toxicity in cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L.) as a model plant species. Soils were spiked individually and as a mixtures at 10 different As levels (2, 4, 8 up to 1024 mg kg −1 ). Copper was added with As at two effective concentration levels (EC10 Cu and EC50 Cu ). Arsenic uptake was significantly reduced in the presence of Cu and a higher effect was demonstrated with increasing pore-water pH. Copper accumulation was not significantly influenced by As. An additive response on plant growth was predominant overall when expressed from pore-water parameters with root mean square errors of 12.6 and 13.2 for EC10 Cu and EC50 Cu treatments, respectively.