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Trace elements in rice grain and agricultural soils: assessment of health risk of inhabitants near a former secondary lead smelter in Khulna, Bangladesh

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Abstract

Ingestion of food grain grown in metal-contaminated soils may cause serious effects on human health. This study assessed the concentrations of Pb, As, Cd and Zn in agricultural soils and in rice grains near a former secondary lead smelter in Khulna, Bangladesh. It analyzed 29 samples of surface soil and rice grain collected around 500 m of the smelter. Contamination factor (Cf), pollution load index and total hazard quotient (THQ) were calculated to determine ecological and human health risks. Cd was not detected in any of the samples. For the soil samples, medians of the concentrations of Pb, As and Zn were 109, 6.2 and 514 mg/kg, respectively. For the rice grain samples, medians of the concentrations of Pb, As and Zn were 4, 1.4 and 25 mg/kg fw, respectively. Medians of the concentrations of Pb and As in rice grain were higher compared to their maximum allowable limit (0.2 mg/kg), which indicate potential health risks to inhabitants near the Pb smelter. The mean values of Cf for Pb, As, and Zn were, respectively, 11.6, 2.1 and 7.4. For Pb, around 41% of the samples had Cf > 6 indicating very strong contamination. THQ values for Pb and As were greater than 1.0, which evinces the health hazards of these trace elements. Measures should be taken to prevent trace elements exposure from Pb smelter in the study area.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by Khulna University Research Cell (No. 04/2000-101). Khulna zonal laboratory of the Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE) of Bangladesh cooperated in the trace elements analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh

    Md. Azharul Islam

  2. Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh

    Md. Ali Akber & Md. Atikul Islam

  3. School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia

    Md. Bayzidur Rahman

  4. Zonal Laboratory, Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE), Khulna, Bangladesh

    Md. Aminur Rahman & Md. Aynal Haque

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  1. Md. Azharul Islam
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  2. Md. Ali Akber
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Islam, M.A., Akber, M.A., Rahman, M.B. et al. Trace elements in rice grain and agricultural soils: assessment of health risk of inhabitants near a former secondary lead smelter in Khulna, Bangladesh. Environ Geochem Health 41, 2521–2532 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-019-00299-2

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