Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation of toxicity potential of cobalt in wheat irrigated with wastewater: health risk implications for public

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The use of wastewater in irrigation weakens the beneficial properties of the soil and leads to a threat to food safety standards. The present research was designed to explore the cobalt toxicity associated with the ingestion of wastewater irrigated wheat. Wheat plants of five different varieties were collected from 7 different sites of Punjab, Pakistan, which were irrigated with three different sources of water. The sampling was done in two cropping years. The cobalt values in water, soil and wheat samples (root, shoot, grain) ranged from 0.46 to 1.24 mg/l, 0.15 to 1.20, 0.29 to 1.30, 0.08 to 0.76 and 0.12 to 0.57 mg/kg, respectively. All the water samples showed high cobalt concentration than the maximum permissible value. However, all the soil and wheat plant samples were found within the maximum allowable range. The high cobalt concentration in irrigating water showed that the continuous usage of such type of water may lead to cobalt toxicity in living organisms with the passage of time and may results in severe health risks.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.

References

  • Adriano DC, Page AL (1981) Co-recycling of sewage sludge and fly ash: heavy metal uptake by crop. International conference on heavy metals in the environment, Amsterdam, 9:185–187

  • Ahmad K, Khan ZI, Ashfaq A, Ashraf M, Yasmin S (2014) Assessment of heavy metal and metalloid levels in spinach (Spinacia oleracea) grown in wastewater irrigated agricultural soil of Sargodha, Pakistan. Pak J Bot 46:1805–1810

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad K, Nawaz K, Khan ZI, Nadeem M, Wajid K et al (2018) Effect of diverse regimes of irrigation on metals accumulation in wheat crop: an assessment-dire need of the day. Fresenius Environ Bull 27:846–855

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad K, Wajid K, Khan ZI, Ugulu I, Memoona H, Sana M, Nawaz K, Malik IS, Bashir H, Sher M (2019) Evaluation of potential toxic metals accumulation in wheat irrigated with wastewater. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 102:822–828

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad K, Yang Y, Khan ZI, Arshad N, Ahmad T, Nadeem M, Wajid K, Bashir H, Nazar S, Munir M, Malik IS, Ashfaq A, Mahpara S, Noorka IR, Mehmood N, Abbas T, Ullah S, Memona H, Shaheen F, Akhtar M, Akhter P, Akhtar S, Ugulu I, Ma J, Chen F (2020) Assessing zinc amassing in forages, buffalo blood and topsoil collected from Sargodha City, Pakistan. Rev Chim 71:240–248. https://doi.org/10.37358/RC.20.8.8296

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alghobar MA, Suresha S (2016) Effect of wastewater irrigation on growth and yield of rice crop and uptake and accumulation of nutrient and heavy metals in soil. Appl Ecol Environ Sci 4:53–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen S, Grimshaw H, Rowland A (1986) Chemical analysis. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, pp 285–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhatti SS, Sambyal V, Singh J, Nagpal AK (2015) Analysis of soil characteristics of different land uses and metal bioaccumulation in wheat grown around rivers: possible human health risk assessment. Environ Dev Sustain:1–17

  • Buat-Menard P, Chesselet R (1979) Variable influence of the atmospheric flux on the trace metal chemistry of oceanic suspended matter. Earth Planet Sci Lett 42:398–411

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cui YJ, Zhu YG, Zhai RH, Chen DY, Huang YZ, Qui Y, Liang JZ (2004) Transfer of metals from near a smelter in Nanjing. J Environ Sci (China) 30:785–791

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cui S, Zhou Q, Chao L (2007) Potential hyper-accumulation of Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd in endurant plants distributed in an old smeltery, northeast China. Environ Geol 51:1043–1048

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dogan Y, Baslar S, Ugulu I (2014a) A study on detecting heavy metal accumulation through biomonitoring: content of trace elements in plants at Mount Kazdagi in Turkey. Appl Ecol Environ Res 12:627–636

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dogan Y, Unver MC, Ugulu I, Calis M, Durkan N (2014b) Heavy metal accumulation in the bark and leaves of Juglans regia planted in Artvin City, Turkey. Biotechnol Biotechnol Equip 28:643–649

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dutch Standards (2000) Circular on target values and intervention values for soil remediation

  • FAO/WHO (2001) Codex Alimentarius Commission. Food additive and contaminants. Joint FAO/ WHO Food Standards Programme, ALINORM 01/ 12A, pp, 1–289

  • Food and Nutrition Board (2004) Dietary reference intakes [DRIs]: recommended intakes for individuals. National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Gothberg A, Greger M, Holm K, Bengtsson BE (2004) Influence of nutrient levels on uptake and effects of Hg, Cd, and Pd in water spinach. J Environ Qual 33:1247–1255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan K, Khan H, Lu Y, Ihsanullah I, Nawab J (2014) Evaluation of toxicological risk of foodstuffs contaminated with heavy metals in Swat, Pakistan. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 108:224–232

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan ZI, Ahmad K, Safdar H, Ugulu I, Wajid K, Bashir H, Dogan Y (2018a) Manganese bioaccumulation and translocation of in forages grown in soil irrigated with city effluent: an evaluation on health risk. Res J Pharm, Biol Chem Sci 9:759–770

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan ZI, Ugulu I, Umar S, Ahmad K, Mehmood N, Ashfaq A, Bashir H, Sohail M (2018b) Potential toxic metal accumulation in soil, forage and blood plasma of buffaloes sampled from Jhang, Pakistan. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 101:235–242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan ZI, Ugulu I, Ahmad K, Yasmeen S, Noorka IR, Mehmood N, Sher M (2018c) Assessment of trace metal and metalloid accumulation and human health risk from vegetables consumption through spinach and coriander specimens irrigated with wastewater. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 101:787–795

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan ZI, Ugulu I, Sahira S, Ahmad K, Ashfaq A, Mehmood N, Dogan Y (2018d) Determination of toxic metals in fruits of Abelmoschus esculentus grown in contaminated soils with different irrigation sources by spectroscopic method. Int J Environ Res 12:503–511

  • Khan ZI, Safdar H, Ahmad K, Wajid K, Bashir H, Ugulu I, Dogan Y (2019a) Health risk assessment through determining bioaccumulation of iron in forages grown in soil irrigated with city effluent. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:14277–14286

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan ZI, Arshad N, Ahmad K, Nadeem M, Ashfaq A, Wajid K, Bashir H, Munir M, Huma B, Memoona H, Sana M, Nawaz K, Sher M, Abbas T, Ugulu I (2019b) Toxicological potential of cobalt in forage for ruminants grown in polluted soil: a health risk assessment from trace metal pollution for livestock. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:15381–15389

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan ZI, Nisar A, Ugulu I, Ahmad K, Wajid K, Bashir H, Dogan Y (2019c) Determination of cadmium concentrations of vegetables grown in soil irrigated with wastewater: evaluation of health risk to the public. Egypt J Bot 59:753–762

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan ZI, Ahmad K, Rehman S, Ashfaq A, Mehmood N, Ugulu I, Dogan Y (2019d) Effect of sewage water irrigation on accumulation of metals in soil and wheat in Punjab, Pakistan. Pak J Anal Environ Chem 20:60–66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan ZI, Ahmad K, Siddique S, Ahmed T, Bashir H, Munir M, Mahpara S, Malik IS, Wajid K, Ugulu I, Nadeem M, Noorka IR, Chen F (2020a) A study on the transfer of chromium from meadows to grazing livestock: an assessment of health risk. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27:26694–26701. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09062-y

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan ZI, Safdar H, Ahmad K, Wajid K, Bashir H, Ugulu I, Dogan Y (2020b) Copper bioaccumulation and translocation in forages grown in soil irrigated with sewage water. Pak J Bot 52:111–119. https://doi.org/10.30848/PJB2020-1(12)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan ZI, Ugulu I, Sahira S, Mehmood N, Ahmad K, Bashir H, Dogan Y (2020c) Human health risk assessment through the comparative analysis of diverse irrigation regimes for Luffa (Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem.). J Water Sanitation Hyg Dev 10:249–261. https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2020.132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan ZI, Ugulu I, Zafar A, Mehmood N, Bashir H, Ahmad K, Sana M (2021) Biomonitoring of heavy metals accumulation in wild plants growing at soon valley, Khushab, Pakistan. Pak J Bot 53: in press. https://doi.org/10.30848/PJB2021-1(14)

  • Li MS, Luo YP, Su ZY (2007) Heavy metal concentrations in soils and plant accumulation in a restored manganese mineland in Guangxi, South China. Environ Pollut 147:168–175

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu H, Probst A, Liao B (2005) Metal contamination of soils and crops affected by the Chenzhou lead/zinc mine spill (Hunan, China). Sci Total Environ 339:153–166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Munir M, Khan ZI, Ahmad K, Wajid K, Bashir H, Malik IS, Nadeem M, Ashfaq A, Ugulu I (2019) Transfer of heavy metals from different sources of fertilizers in wheat variety (Galaxy-13). Asian J Biol Sci 12:832–841. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajbs.2019.832.841

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nadeem M, Qureshi TM, Ugulu I, Riaz MN, An QU et al (2019) Mineral, vitamin and phenolic contents and sugar profiles of some prominent date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) varieties of Pakistan. Pak J Bot 51:171–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oyewole CI (2016) Wheat department of crop production, faculty of agriculture, Kogi State University, P.M.B. 1008, Anyigba, Kogi state, Nigeria

  • Rasheed MJZ, Ahmad K, Khan ZI, Mahpara S, Ahmad T, Yang Y, Wajid K, Nadeem M, Bashir H, Ashfaq A, Munir M, Malik IS, Noorka IR, Kiran M, Qamar MF, Ugulu I (2020) Assessment of trace metal contents of indigenous and improved pastures and their implications for livestock in terms of seasonal variations. Rev Chim 71:347–364. https://doi.org/10.37358/RC.20.7.8253

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shad HA, Khan ZI, Ahmad K, Rizwan Y, Tahir HM (2014) Human health hazards caused by heavy metals accumulation in wheat variety “Sehar-2006” irrigated with domestic sewage water. Biologia 60:99–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Siddique S, Ahmad K, Khan ZI, Wajid K, Bashir H et al (2019) Sodium status of soil, forages, and small ruminants of Punjab, Pakistan. Pure Appl Biol 8:1950–1961

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh A, Sharma RK, Agrawal M, Marshall FM (2010) Health risk assessment of heavy metals via dietary intake of foodstuffs from the wastewater irrigated site of a dry tropical area of India. Food Chem Toxicol 48:611–619

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steel RGD, Torrie JH, Dicky DA (2006) Principles and procedures of statistics. A biometrical approach, 3rd edn. McGrave Hill Company, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I (2015a) Development and validation of an instrument for assessing attitudes of high school students about recycling. Environ Educ Res 21:916–942

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I (2015b) Determination of heavy metal accumulation in plant samples by spectrometric techniques in Turkey. Appl Spectrosc Rev 50(2):113–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I (2015c) A quantitative investigation on recycling attitudes of gifted/talented students. Biotechnol Biotechnol Equip 29:20–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/13102818.2015.1047168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I (2019) Efficacy of recycling education integrated with ecology course prepared within the context of enrichment among gifted students. Int J Educ Sci 26:49–58. https://doi.org/10.31901/24566322.2019/26.1-3.1086

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I (2020) Gifted students’ attitudes towards science. Int J Edu Sci 28:7–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I, Baslar S (2010) The determination and fidelity level of medicinal plants used to make traditional Turkish salves. J Alternative Compl Med 16:313–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I, Baslar S, Dogan Y, Aydin H (2009) The determination of colour intensity of Rubia tinctorum and Chrozophora tinctoria distributed in Western Anatolia. Biotechnol Biotechnol Equip 23:410–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I, Unver MC, Dogan Y (2016) Determination and comparison of heavy metal accumulation level of Ficus carica bark and leaf samples in Artvin, Turkey. Oxid Commun 39:765–775

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I, Unver MC, Dogan Y (2019a) Potentially toxic metal accumulation and human health risk from consuming wild Urtica urens sold on the open markets of Izmir. Euro-Mediterr J Environ Integr 4:36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-019-0128-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I, Khan ZI, Rehman S, Ahmad K, Munir M, Bashir H, Nawaz K (2019b) Trace metal accumulation in Trigonella foenum-graecum irrigated with wastewater and human health risk of metal access through the consumption. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 103:468–475

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I, Khan ZI, Rehman S, Ahmad K, Munir M, Bashir H, Nawaz K (2019c) Appraisal of trace element accumulation and human health risk from consuming field mustard (Brassica campestris Linn.) grown on soil irrigated with wastewater. Pak J Anal Environ Chem 20:107–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ugulu I, Khan ZI, Rehman S, Ahmad K, Munir M, Bashir H (2020) Effect of wastewater irrigation on trace metal accumulation in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and human health risk. Pak J Anal Environ Chem 21:92–101

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Unver MC, Ugulu I, Durkan N, Baslar S, Dogan Y (2015) Heavy metal contents of Malva sylvestris sold as edible greens in the local markets of Izmir. Ekoloji 24:13–25

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (2010) Exposure factors handbook – general factors. EPA/600/P-95/002Fa, vol. I.Office of Research and Development. National Center for Environmental Assessment. US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC

  • Wajid K, Ahmad K, Khan ZI, Nadeem M, Bashir H, Chen F, Ugulu I (2020) Effect of organic manure and mineral fertilizers on bioaccumulation and translocation of trace metals in maize. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 104:649–657

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WWF (2007) Report on National Surface Water Classification Criteria. Irrigation Water Quality Guidelines for Pakistan. February, 2007. Wastewater Forum Pakistan

  • Yang Y, Khan ZI, Ahmad K, Ullah MF, Nadeem M, Bashir H, Munir M, Malik IS, Arshad N, Ma J, Chen F, Ugulu I (2020) Assessing health risk in livestock through quantification of iron in forages, soil and buffalo blood from Sargodha, Pakistan. Rev Chim 71:221–229. https://doi.org/10.37358/RC.20.9.8332

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yorek N, Ugulu I, Aydin H (2016) Using self-organizing neural network map combined with ward’s clustering algorithm for visualization of students’ cognitive structural models about aliveness concept. Comput Intell Neurosci:2476256, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/2476256

Download references

Funding

The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China

    Fu Chen, Jing Ma & Yongjun Yang

  2. Department of Botany, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan

    Zafar Iqbal Khan, Asma Zafar, Kafeel Ahmad, Kinza Wajid, Humayun Bashir, Mudasra Munir, Ifra Saleem Malik & Asma Ashfaq

  3. Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan

    Muhammad Nadeem

  4. Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan

    Shehzadi Mahpara

  5. Faculty of Education, Usak University, Usak, Turkey

    Ilker Ugulu

  6. Buca Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey

    Yunus Dogan

Authors
  1. Fu Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zafar Iqbal Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Asma Zafar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jing Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Muhammad Nadeem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Kafeel Ahmad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Shehzadi Mahpara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Kinza Wajid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Humayun Bashir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Mudasra Munir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Ifra Saleem Malik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Asma Ashfaq
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Ilker Ugulu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Yunus Dogan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Yongjun Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

FC, IU, ISM and YY were responsible for writing the manuscript. KA and ZIK supervised the study. AZ, SM, KW, AA, MM and HB was responsible for conducting the experiments and the data analysis. IU, YD, JM and MN were responsible for analyzing and interpreting the data. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zafar Iqbal Khan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The authors declare that the manuscript has not been published previously.

Consent to participate

All authors voluntarily to participate in this research study.

Consent to publish

All authors consent to the publication of the manuscript.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Gangrong Shi

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chen, F., Khan, Z.I., Zafar, A. et al. Evaluation of toxicity potential of cobalt in wheat irrigated with wastewater: health risk implications for public. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 21119–21131 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11815-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11815-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation