Wastewater-Irrigated Vegetables Are a Significant Source of Heavy Metal Contaminants: Toxicity and Health Risks
-
Published:2023-02-01
Issue:3
Volume:28
Page:1371
-
ISSN:1420-3049
-
Container-title:Molecules
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:Molecules
Author:
Aftab Kiran1, Iqbal Sarosh2, Khan Mohammad Rizwan3ORCID, Busquets Rosa4ORCID, Noreen Razia5, Ahmad Naushad3, Kazimi Syed Gohar Taqi6ORCID, Karami Abdulnasser Mahmoud3, Al Suliman Nouf Mohammad Saad3, Ouladsmane Mohamed3ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan 2. Department of Applied Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan 3. Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia 4. School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston University London, Kingston Upon Thames KT1 2EE, UK 5. Department of Biochemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan 6. Department of Chemistry, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
Abstract
Water contaminated with heavy metals constitutes an important threat. This threat is a real problem with a negative impact in some developing countries where untreated industrial effluents are used for irrigation. The present study examines heavy metals in wastewater-irrigated vegetables (apple gourd, spinach, cauliflower, sponge gourd, and coriander) water, and soil from Chenab Nagar, Chiniot, Pakistan. In particular, the metals quantified were cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and manganese (Mn). Among them, Cr and Co in crops irrigated -wastewater exceeded the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). In contrast, Ni, Cu, Pb, and Mn concentrations were in line with WHO standards. Compared with the limits established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), all the study vegetables presented higher (thus unsafe) concentrations of Cd (0.38 to 1.205 mg/Kg). There were also unsafe concentrations of Cr in coriander, sponge gourd, and cauliflower. Pb was found at an unsafe concentration (0.59 mg/Kg) in cauliflower. Conversely, Ni and Mn concentrations were below the maximum permissible limits by WHO, and FAO in all of the analyzed samples. The contamination load index (CLI) in soil, bioconcentration factor (BCF) in plants, daily intake of metals (DIM), and health risk index (HRI) have also been evaluated to estimate the potential risk to human health in that area. We have found an important risk of transitions of Pb, Cd, Cr, and Co from water/soil to the edible part of the plant. The highest HRI value associated with Cd (6.10–13.85) followed by Cr (1.25–7.67) for all vegetable samples presented them as high health risk metal contaminants. If the issue is not addressed, consumption of wastewater-irrigated vegetables will continue posing a health risk.
Funder
Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia
Subject
Chemistry (miscellaneous),Analytical Chemistry,Organic Chemistry,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry,Molecular Medicine,Drug Discovery,Pharmaceutical Science
Reference53 articles.
1. SimiVal, a multi-criteria map comparison tool for land-change model projections;Bradley;Environ. Model. Softw.,2016 2. Date pits waste as a solid phase extraction sorbent for the analysis of lead in wastewater and for use in manufacturing brick: An eco-friendly waste management approach;Azam;J. Saudi Chem. Soc.,2022 3. Anyanwu, B.O., Ezejiofor, A.N., Igweze, Z.N., and Orisakwe, O.E. (2018). Heavy metal mixture exposure and effects in developing nations: An update. Toxics, 6. 4. Heavy metal pollution in the environment and their toxicological effects on humans;Briffa;Heliyon,2020 5. Mensah, E., Kyei-Baffour, N., Ofori, E., and Obeng, G. (2009). Appropriate Technologies for Environmental Protection in the Developing World, Springer.
Cited by
6 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献
|
|