Investigation of Heavy Metal Accumulation in Vegetables and Health Risk to Humans From Their Consumption

Abstract

Heavy metals contamination of soil and edible parts of vegetables is presently a challenging environmental issue worldwide. The present study determined the accumulated amount of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) in soil, coriander, onion, and tomato collected from agricultural fields of Jhansi city, India. The bio-concentration factor and non-carcinogenic health risks were also assessed to know the vegetables’ accumulation potential of heavy metals from soil and possibility to have non-carcinogenic health risks via an intake of these vegetables. The samples were digested using di-acid solution prior to heavy metals analysis by atomic absorption spectrometric method. The average content of Cd, Pb, Ni, Co, Zn, Cu, and Mn were 2.02, 19.09, 21.56, 9.31, 35.34, 14.96, and 15.21 mg/kg dry weight (dw) in soil, 0.23, 2.12, 0.77, 0.47, 36.65, 5.92, and 21.65 mg/kg dw in coriander, 0.13, 0.66, 0.54, 0.32, 23.94, 6.25, and 20.15 mg/kg dw in onion, 0.14, 0.46, 0.89, 0.22, 16.77, 4.77, and 14.46 mg/kg dw in tomato, respectively. The bio-concentration factor revealed significant accumulation of Zn (1.04) and Mn in coriander (1.42), and in onion (1.32). The target hazard quotient and health risk index signaled that the population consuming these vegetables is risk-free. However, it is recommended that the concentration of heavy metals in the soil and crops of the study area and its related health risks be regularly monitored to avoid significant health risks in the future.

Metals and Metalloids Increase in Cycas micronesica Seed Gametophyte Tissue in Shaded Growth Conditions

“…Our revisitation of the potential link between cycad-derived metal exposure and ALS-PDC comes at a time of increased contamination of human foods by heavy metals. Indeed, environmental pollution of metals and metalloids has emerged as a contemporary concern that impacts food security for much of the world [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. As a result, the biotoxicity of metals in food has attracted attention from policy makers, health organizations, and the research community.…”

Heavy Metal Pollution in the Environment and Its Impact on Health: Exploring Green Technology for Remediation

“…Vegetables such as Environmental Health Insights brinjal, gourd, spinach, coriander, tomato and pumpkin are particularly susceptible to heavy metal uptake by their roots, which can then be transported to the edible portions of the plant. 127,128 As a result, consuming these vegetables that contain heavy metals can be extremely hazardous to human health. Alexander et al 129 carried out research involving vegetables cultivated in soil contaminated with heavy metals.…”

Heavy metals transfer in soil‐vegetable continuum and health risk assessment via consumption in the urban sprawl of Delhi, India

“…Dim contaminated vegetables by selected metals in their diet. Gupta et al (2022) concluded that the THQ of all analyzed heavy metals in coriander, onion, and tomato was under the safe value of 1, indicating that consumption of these vegetables will not have any significant noncarcinogenic effects on consumers. These results were also supported by Balkhair and Ashraf (2016).…”