Cadmium (Cd) content in cacao beans above a critical level (0.6 mg kg−1
) has raised concerns in the consumption
of cacao-based chocolate. Little is available regarding Cd concentration in soil and cacao in Ecuador. The aim of
this study was to determine the status of Cd in both, soils and cacao plants, in southern Ecuador. Soil samples
were collected from 19 farms at 0–5, 5–15, 15–30, and 30–50 cm depths, whereas plant samples were taken
from four nearby trees. Total recoverable and extractable Cd were measured at the different soil depths. Total recoverable
Cd ranged from 0.88 to 2.45 and 0.06 to 2.59, averaged 1.54 and 0.85 mg kg−1
, respectively in the surface
and subsurface soils whereas the corresponding values for M3-extractable Cd were 0.08 to 1.27 and 0.02 to
0.33 with mean values of 0.40 and 0.10 mg kg−1
. Surface soil in all sampling sites had total recoverable Cd above
the USEPA critical level for agricultural soils (0.43 mg kg−1
), indicating that Cd pollution occurs. Since both total
recoverable and M3-extractable Cd significantly decreased depth wise, anthropogenic activities are more likely
the source of contamination. Cadmium in cacao tissues decreased in the order of beans N shellN N leaves. Cadmium
content in cacao beans ranged from 0.02 to 3.00, averaged 0.94 mg kg−1
, and 12 out of 19 sites had bean Cd
content above the critical level. Bean Cd concentration was highly correlated with M3- or HCl-extractable Cd at
both the 0–5 and 5–15 cm depths (r= 0.80 and 0.82 for M3, and r = 0.78 and 0.82 for HCl; P b 0.01). These results
indicate that accumulation of Cd in surface layers results in excessive Cd in cacao beans and M3- or HClextractable
Cd are suitable methods for predicting available Cd in the studied soils.