| Title |
Phosphate fertilizer is a main source of arsenic in areas affected with chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Sri Lanka
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
SpringerPlus, February 2015
|
| DOI | 10.1186/s40064-015-0868-z |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Channa Jayasumana, Saranga Fonseka, Ashvin Fernando, Kumudika Jayalath, Mala Amarasinghe, Sisira Siribaddana, Sarath Gunatilake, Priyani Paranagama |
| Abstract |
Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) has escalated into an epidemic in North Central Province (NCP) and adjacent farming areas in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Studies have shown that this special type of CKD is a toxic nephropathy and arsenic may play a causative role along with a number of other heavy metals. We investigated the hypothesis that chemical fertilizers and pesticide could be a source of arsenic. 226 samples of Fertilizers and 273 samples of pesticides were collected and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for arsenic and other heavy metals in two university laboratories. Almost all the agrochemicals available to the farmers in the study area are contaminated with arsenic. The highest amount was in triple super phosphate (TSP) with a mean value of 31 mg/kg. Also TSP is a rich source of other nephrotoxic metals including Cr, Co, Ni, Pb and V. Annually more than 0.1 million tons of TSP is imported to Sri Lanka containing approximately 2100 kg of arsenic. The next highest concentration was seen in the rock phosphate obtained from an open pit mine in NCP (8.56 mg/kg). Organic fertilizer contained very low amounts of arsenic. Arsenic contamination in pesticides varied from 0.18 mg/kg to 2.53 mg/kg although arsenic containing pesticides are banned in Sri Lanka. Glyphosate the most widely used pesticide in Sri Lanka contains average of 1.9 mg/kg arsenic. Findings suggest that agrochemicals especially phosphate fertilizers are a major source of inorganic arsenic in CKDu endemic areas. Organic fertilizer available in Sri Lanka is comparatively very low in arsenic and hence the farmers in CKDu endemic areas in Sri Lanka should be encouraged to minimize the use of imported chemical fertilizer and use organic fertilizers instead. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 38 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 3 | 8% |
| Sri Lanka | 3 | 8% |
| Canada | 3 | 8% |
| United States | 3 | 8% |
| India | 2 | 5% |
| Australia | 1 | 3% |
| France | 1 | 3% |
| Argentina | 1 | 3% |
| Unknown | 21 | 55% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 38 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 343 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | 2 | <1% |
| El Salvador | 1 | <1% |
| Tanzania, United Republic of | 1 | <1% |
| Unknown | 339 | 99% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Bachelor | 65 | 19% |
| Researcher | 34 | 10% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 29 | 8% |
| Student > Master | 29 | 8% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 20 | 6% |
| Other | 47 | 14% |
| Unknown | 119 | 35% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 41 | 12% |
| Environmental Science | 34 | 10% |
| Chemistry | 28 | 8% |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 27 | 8% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 13 | 4% |
| Other | 66 | 19% |
| Unknown | 134 | 39% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 87. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 05 March 2024.
All research outputs
#497,760
of 25,654,566 outputs
Outputs from SpringerPlus
#15
of 1,876 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#5,762
of 270,596 outputs
Outputs of similar age from SpringerPlus
#2
of 67 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,654,566 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 98th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,876 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.2. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 270,596 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 97% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 67 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 97% of its contemporaries.