Heavy metal content in flue cured and air cured tobaccos from main production areas in Serbia

Abstract

The aim of this work was to examine the influence of growing conditions on heavy metal content in virginia (flue cured) and burley (air cured) tobacco type. Moreover, some of these metals could appear in the tobacco cigarette smoke. This fact may cause negative consequences for cigarette consumers. Examinations were carried out in five various production areas, for each tobacco type, during two years, 1998 and 1999; those were extreme years for production. Considering the results, it can be concluded: The most important factor for heavy metal content in tobacco leaves are weather conditions especially the amount of rainfall, since there is a direct correlation between the rainfall and size of roots, a dominant vegetation organ. It is inevitable that the metals content in flue cured and air cured tobaccos grown at different experimental lots, is still below the legally prescribed values. Tobacco leaves from Šabac production area have a little higher metal content than tobacco grown in other production areas, because a larger amount of copper was found. The metal content in plants can increase because of its absorption from soil, atmosphere, or mineral fertilizers and pesticides, and, what is very important, the content of metals can be high due to the vicinity of large industrial centers.

Poznato je da su metali prisutni u biljkama u količinama koje zavise od vrste biljke, klime i drugih faktora. Cilj ovog rada je ispitivanje direktnih uslova gajenja na sadržaj teških metala u duvanima tipa virdžinija, sorta Heveši-9 i tipa berlej, sorta B-92. Neki od ovih metala mogu da pređu u duvanski dim cigarete, što može imati neželjene posledice za pušača. Ispitivanja su vršena u po 5 različitih proizvodnih područja Srbije, za svaki tip duvana, tokom dve godine, 1998. i 1999., koje su bile ekstremne za proizvodnju duvana. Sumirajući rezultate dvogodišnjih istraživanja možemo zaključiti sledeće: Upotreba NPK đubriva nije imala uticaja na sadržaj teških metala u duvanima. Od klimatskih faktora, na sadržaj teških metala u duvanu najveći značaj imaju padavine. Usled različite količine padavina dolazi do razlike u ekspanziji korena biljaka, pa su posledica toga različite količine mikroelemenata, koje se preko korena asimiluju. Duvani iz proizvodnog područja Šapca, sadrže bakar u koncentracijama nešto većim od dozvoljenih za duvan, kao i nešto više vrednosti sadržaja ostalih teških metala u odnosu na duvan gajen na drugim lokalitetima. Na ovu pojavu bi mogla da utiče blizina industrijske zone, kao i sastav zemljišta i primena zaštitnih sredstava.