2011 年 54 巻 3 号 p. 202-213
There have been many cases in Japan of heavy metal contamination originating from old mines and smelters, and soil contamination of agricultural land has become a social issue. Arsenic (As) damage tends to occur more in paddy rice than other upland crops. In the 1970s and 1980s, both the mechanism of As damage of paddy rice and countermeasures for paddy fields were extensively studied. Here, we reviewed these studies to provide the background of As contamination in soils and crops in Japan as rice is a major source of cadmium (Cd) and As for people in Asia. We also investigated the effects of water management in rice paddies on the levels of Cd and As in rice grains. Results revealed that water management before and after heading is important for simultaneously managing Cd and As concentrations in rice grains. Recently, the pollution of soil, ground water, and farm products with aromatic arsenicals, such as diphenylarsinic acid, from industrial waste has become a serious problem in Japan. This article reviews the current state of arsenic contamination of agricultural soil in Japan and proposes a number of countermeasures.
