Coefficient of biological absorption of lead by corn as a factor of environmental safety

This paper presents the results of determining the biological absobtion coefficient (BAC) of lead in the green mass of early-ripening corn varieties (Ladozhsky 175MV, Competence, Krasnodarsky 194MV) cultivated under the conditions of the Timiryazevsky District of the Northern Administrative District of Moscow, with the use of complex fertilizers and without them. The study was conducted at the Field Experimental Station of the Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, the oldest agronomic testing ground in Russia (founded in 1867), which serves as a unique platform for long-term scientific experiments and the approbation of modern agricultural technologies. Plant samples were collected in two dates - July 22 and August 10, 2023 - which allowed to follow the dynamics of accumulation of heavy metal in the aboveground part of plants. During the same periods, soil samples were analyzed for gross lead content, organic matter, and acidity as key factors affecting the mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals in the soil-plant system. The experiment revealed a significant difference in lead content between fertilized and unfertilized plots. The lead concentration on unfertilized plots was substantially higher compared to those where fertilizers were applied. When comparing varieties , the lowest accumulation of the toxic element was observed in Competence, which maintained consistently low values regardless of fertilizer level. The Ladozhsky 175MV variety also showed relatively low values, whereas Krasnodarsky 194MV, in contrast, demonstrated variability: under fertilizer application, lead content decreased to 0.458 mg/kg, while on unfertilized plots it reached 0.663 mg/kg (August 10, 2023). The analysis of lead content in the green mass of the studied varieties revealed a significant range of values - from 0.418 to 0.663 mg/kg, indicating substantial intervarietal differences in heavy metal accumulation. The obtained data emphasize the importance of monitoring lead content in different corn varieties and the need for special attention to the Competence variety due to its high lead values, which pose potential risks to public health and the safety of consuming this product.