Statistical characteristics of selected elements in vegetables from Kosovo

Abstract

Zinc, copper, iron, chromium and cobalt are essential elements for human health, showing toxicity only in high concentrations, while lead and cadmium are extremely toxic even as traces. Therefore, it is important to monitor the contents of toxic metals in vegetables. Large number of vegetables is grown and used in nutrition, in Kosovo. The concentrations of selected elements in vegetables (radish, onion, garlic and spinach) from Kosovo were determined using ICP-OES method. Oral intake of metals and health risk index were calculated. Statistical analysis indicated numerous positive correlations between concentrations of selected elements in vegetables. As a result of principal component analysis, 15 new variables were obtained which were characterized by eigenvalues. The sequence of health quotients for the heavy metals followed the decreasing order Zn = Mn > Pb > Cu > Ni > Fe > Cd > Co > Cr. The health quotients for all investigated heavy metals were below 1 (one), which is considered safe. The vegetables from Kosovo are mainly safe for use in everyday diet.

Health Risk Assessment of Dietary Heavy Metals Intake from Fruits and Vegetables Grown in Selected Old Mining Areas—A Case Study: The Banat Area of Southern Carpathians

“…Similarly, fruits and vegetables originating from other Romanian areas with mining legacy revealed a similar range of Pb content, i.e., 1–3 mg/kg FW [ 54 ]. These findings are also consistent with the results of other studies around the world on Pb content in vegetal foodstuffs collected from legacy mining areas [ 15 , 16 , 26 , 56 , 60 ].…”

“…Average Ni concentrations ranged from 0.17 mg/kg FW up to 0.94 mg/kg FW, with maximum levels being detected in root vegetables from the M area and fruits from the R area. Concentrations close to this range (0.07–2.16 mg/kg FW) have also been found in common vegetables and fruits collected from Bangladesh [ 12 ], Armenia [ 16 , 19 ], Kosovo [ 56 ], Turkey [ 58 ], Brazil [ 59 ] and Ethiopia [ 60 ]. Related to Pb, the measured values in analyzed vegetables and fruits varied between 0.08 mg/kg FW and 2.45 mg/kg FW, with the maximum values being above MAL (0.5 mg/kg FW) in most fruits and vegetables sampled from the R area.…”

“…In other parts of the world, higher Zn levels were detected in fruits and vegetables collected at metal-polluted sites: 19.0–42.0 mg/kg FW in Bangladesh [ 12 ], 20–44 mg/kg FW in China [ 47 ] and 3–54 mg/kg FW in Australia [ 55 ], 6–20 mg/kg FW in the Alaverdi’s copper mining complex (Armenia) [ 16 , 19 ], respectively. Comparable concentrations (0.6–6.6 mg/kg FW) were reported for the same vegetal foodstuffs when sampled from Kosovo [ 56 ].…”

“…Fruits and vegetables regularly contain Mn levels below 50 mg/kg FW [ 56 , 57 ]. In our study, Mn concentrations were between 0.5 mg/kg FW and 10.5 mg/kg FW in vegetables, whereas in fruits the measured values were lower, that is 0.25–3.05 mg/kg FW.…”

“…Importantly, soil Cu was notably above the MAL value, reaching the intervention threshold [ 10 ]. Such high Cu concentrations in soils and vegetal foods have been identified in most copper mining areas around the world [ 10 , 15 , 16 , 55 , 56 ].…”