Assessment of Trace Element Concentration in Soil Surrounding Selected Poultry Farms in Leyte Province, Philippines

Lotis  M. Balala,; Janet Alexis  A. De los Santos,; Shebelle  A. Cueva,; Dixie Grace  A. Gelaga,

Assessment of Trace Element Concentration in Soil Surrounding Selected Poultry Farms in Leyte Province, Philippines

Lotis M. Balala | Janet Alexis A De los Santos | Shebelle A Cueva | Dixie Grace A Gelaga

Discipline: Psychology

Abstract:

The escalating global population propels agricultural intensification to increase food production. This entails the use of feed additives such as trace elements allowing their spillover in animal manure. This study assessed the concentrations of trace elements in the soil surrounding selected broiler and layer farms in Leyte. Fortyeight soil samples were collected for four months to analyze the concentration of copper, iron, zinc, cadmium, and lead. A portable soil tester was used to measure soil temperature, pH, and electrical conductivity, and microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy to quantify trace elements. Levels of trace elements were within WHO and USEPA standards. Iron had the highest concentration (132.84 mg/ kg), and cadmium had the lowest (0.02 mg/kg). Soil surrounding broiler farms contained higher levels of trace elements observed during the harvest season in December. Despite the acceptable levels of trace elements in soil, continuous monitoring is necessitated to prevent buildup of toxic levels.