EFFECT OF HEATING OIL AND NEUTRALIZING SUBSTANCES ON THE CONTENT OF SOME TRACE ELEMENTS IN MAIZE (Zea mays L.)

The purpose of the present experiment has been to determine the capability of maize (Zea mays L.) to uptake certain trace elements from soil contaminated with heating oil (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 g . kg(-1) soil) after soil amendment with neutralizing substances (nitrogen, compost, bentonite, zeolite and calcium oxide). The study relied on determination of the content of trace metals in plants. Incremental rates of heating oil caused depressed concentrations of copper and zinc, increased accumulation of nickel but did not induce unidirectional changes in the content of iron in maize. Bentonite was more effective than zeolite as a soil amending substance. Bentonite reduced the accumulation of three (copper, zinc, iron) and zeolite -just two (copper and nickel) of the analyzed elements in maize compared with the series without neutralizing substances. Application of calcium oxide and nitrogen to soil, in general, favoured the accumulation of the analyzed elements in aerial organs of maize.