Determination of Pb and Cd in Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao) and Banana (Musa Paradisiaca) Crop Soils

The natural presence of heavy metals in agricultural soils can originate from the weathering of the source material; however, the development of the agrochemical industry has introduced agricultural inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers that can contribute to the increase in metals like cadmium and lead. The objective of this research is to evaluate the concentration of Pb and Cd in agricultural soils with cocoa and banana crops. To achieve this objective, sampling involved obtaining 36 com-posite samples at a depth of 20 cm on 9 farms with different conditions and agronomic practices, including intensive pesticide use. In addition, physicochemical analyses (texture, organic matter, and pH) were per-formed. Based on the results obtained for the pH variable, it was con-cluded that the soils already show some degree of alteration due to ag-ricultural activity, as most have acidic and extremely acidic values. On the other hand, it was determined that the concentrations of both metals remain within the limits established by the Environmental Quality Standard for Soil Resources and the Remediation Criteria for Contam-inated Soils.