Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Appraisal of the health hazards associated with the ingestion of vegetables contaminated with potentially toxic elements

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The health risk to the population from consuming vegetables contaminated with potentially toxic elements is a matter of great concern. Therefore, contamination of potentially toxic elements in the vegetables and associated health risks from their consumption were quantified in the current study. For this purpose, wastewater, soil, and vegetable samples were collected from the suburban areas of Sargodha. The outcomes perceived that the contents of potentially toxic elements in wastewater ranged from 0.43 to 1.10, 0.13 to 0.28, and 0.96 to 3.04 mg L−1 for Pb, Ni, and Zn, respectively. The highest averaged contents of Pb (15.5 mg Kg−1), Ni (8.60 mg Kg−1), and Zn (59.1 mg Kg−1) were observed in spinach, while lower contents of potentially toxic elements were recorded in tomato. The order of vegetables regarding potentially toxic elements contents was spinach > cabbage > coriander > onion > tomato. Moreover, it was found that consuming contaminated vegetables may pose a potential health risk to the population. Based on the findings, it is concluded that regular monitoring of wastewater-irrigated vegetables is necessary. Moreover, to mitigate health risks associated with contaminated vegetables, it is essential to avoid using untreated irrigation water. Instead, proper treatment of wastewater should be adopted before employing it in agricultural practices.

Graphical Abstract

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdel CG, Ibrahim AA (2018) Risk evaluation of accumulated heavy metals in Radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. sativus) cultivars irrigated by varying water resources. J Kerbala Agric Sci 5 (5):67–88. https://doi.org/10.59658/jkas.v5i5.123

  • Adedokun AH, Njoku KL, Akinola MO, Adesuyi AA, Jolaoso AO (2016) Potential human health risk assessment of heavy metals intake via consumption of some leafy vegetables obtained from four market in Lagos Metropolis. Nigeria J Appl Sci Environ Manag 20(3):530–539. https://doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v20i3.6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al Hamedi FH, Kandhan K, Liu Y, Ren M, Jaleel A, Alyafei MAM (2023) Wastewater irrigation: a promising way for future sustainable agriculture and food security in the United Arab Emirates. Water 15(12):2284–2301. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15122284

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alghobar MA, Suresha S (2017) Evaluation of metal accumulation in soil and tomatoes irrigated with sewage water from Mysore city, Karnataka. India J Saudi Soc Agric Sci 16(1):49–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2015.02.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ali Z, Mohammad A, Riaz Y, Quraishi UM, Malik RN (2018) Treatment efficiency of a hybrid constructed wetland system for municipal wastewater and its suitability for crop irrigation. Int J Phytoremediation 20(11):1152–1161. https://doi.org/10.1080/15226514.2018.1460311

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ali F, Israr M, Ur Rehman S, Azizullah A, Gulab H, Idrees M et al (2021) Health risk assessment of heavy metals via consumption of dietary vegetables using wastewater for irrigation in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan PloS One 16(8):1–20. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255853

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alloway BJ (2013) Heavy metals and metalloids as micronutrients for plants and animals. Heavy Metals in Soils. Springer, Dordrecht pp 195–209

  • Ametepey ST, Cobbina SJ, Abuntori ZN, Akpabey FJ, Duwiejuah AB (2018) Health risk assessment and heavy metal contamination levels in vegetables from Tamale Metropolis. Ghana. Int J Food Contam 5(5):1–8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-018-0067-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • AOAC (2000) Official methods of analysis. Association of Official Analytical Chemists International, Maryland, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf I, Ahmad F, Sharif A, Altaf AR, Teng H (2021) Heavy metals assessment in water, soil, vegetables and their associated health risks via consumption of vegetables, District Kasur. Pakistan. SN Appl Sci 3(5):1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-021-04547-y

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Avci H, Deveci T (2013) Assessment of trace element concentrations in soil and plants from cropland irrigated with wastewater. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 98:283–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2013.08.013

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bayissa LD, Gebeyehu HR (2021) Vegetables contamination by heavy metals and associated health risk to the population in Koka area of central Ethiopia. PLoS One 16(7):1–17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254236

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bortey-Sam N, Nakayama SMM, Ikenaka Y, Akoto O, Baidoo E, Yohannes YB, Mizukawa H, Ishizuka M (2015) Human health risks from metals and metalloid via consumption of food animals near gold mines in Tarkwa, Ghana: estimation of the daily intakes and target hazard quotients (THQs). Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 111:160–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2014.09.008

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chaoua S, Boussaa S, El Gharmali A, Boumezzough A (2019) Impact of irrigation with wastewater on accumulation of heavy metals in soil and crops in the region of Marrakech in Morocco. J Saudi Soc Agric Sci 18(4):429–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2018.02.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chopra AK, Pathak C (2015) Accumulation of heavy metals in the vegetables grown in wastewater irrigated areas of Dehradun, India with reference to human health risk. Environ Monit Assess 187(7):445–556. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4648-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chowdhury S, Mazumder MJ, Al-Attas O, Husain T (2016) Heavy metals in drinking water: occurrences, implications, and future needs in developing countries. Sci Total Environ 569:476–488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.06.166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crini G, Lichtfouse E (2019) Advantages and disadvantages of techniques used for wastewater treatment. Environ Chem Lett 17:45–155. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-018-0785-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dhayal D, Lal K (2023) Nutritional status of wastewater irrigated soil under lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus). J Pharm Innov 12(2):211–217

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gedik K, Boran M (2013) Assessment of metal accumulation and ecological risk around Rize Harbor, Turkey (southeast Black Sea) affected by copper ore loading operations by using different sediment indexes. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 90(2):176–181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-012-0894-2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta N, Khan DK, Santra SC (2012) Heavy metal accumulation in vegetables grown in a long-term wastewater-irrigated agricultural land of tropical India. Environ Monit Assess 184(11):6673–6682. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2450-7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hawrami KA, Crout NM, Shaw G, Bailey EH (2019) Assessment of potentially toxic elements in vegetables cultivated in urban and peri-urban sites in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and implications for human health. Environ Geochem Health 42(5):1359–1385. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-019-00426-z

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hussain SI, Ghafoor A, Ahmad S, Murtaza G, Sabir M (2006) Irrigation of crops with raw sewage: hazard assessment of effluent, soil, and vegetables. Pak J Agri Sci 43(3–4):97–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Hussaini A, Ali AF, Abdullahi BA (2021) Effects of using industrial wastewater for irrigation on heavy metals in soils and crops: a case of kano metropolis. Nigeria. J Chem Soc Niger 46(6):931–939. https://doi.org/10.46602/jcsn.v46i5.674

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Islam MA, Romi D, Akber MA, Romi M (2018) Trace metals accumulation in soil irrigated with polluted water and assessment of human health risk from vegetable consumption in Bangladesh. Environ Geochem Health 40(1):59–85. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-017-9907-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jolly YN, Islam A, Akbar S (2013) Transfer of metals from soil to vegetables and possible health risk assessment. Springerplus 2(1):385–392. https://doi.org/10.1186/2193-1801-2-385

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kama R, Liu Y, Song J, Hamani AKM, Zhao S, Li S, Li Z (2023) Treated livestock wastewater irrigation is safe for maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) intercropping system considering heavy metals migration in soil–plant system. Int J Environ Res Public Health 20(4):1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043345

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan S, Cao Q, Zheng Y, Huang YZ, Zhu YG (2008) Health risks of heavy metals in contaminated soils and food crops irrigated with wastewater in Beijing. China Environ Pollut 152(3):686–692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2007.06.056

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamsayah M, Khoutoul M, Takfaoui A, Touzani R (2016) High liquid–liquid extraction selectivity of Fe (II) and Pb (II) with TD-DFT theoretical calculations of long chain acid pyrazole-and triazole-based ligands. Cogent Chem 2(1):1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/23312009.2016.1230359

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Latif A, Bilal M, Asghar W, Azeem M, Ahmad MI, Abbas A, Shahzad T (2018) Heavy metal accumulation in vegetables and assessment of their potential health risk. J Environ Anal Chem 5(234):2380–2391

    Google Scholar 

  • Leblebici Z, Kar M (2018) Heavy metals accumulation in vegetables irrigated with different water sources and their human daily intake in Nevsehir. J Agric Sci Technol 20(2):401–415. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11787/4812. Assessed 04/01/2024

  • Lindsay WL, Norvell W (1978) Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, iron, manganese, and copper. Soil Sci Soc Am J 42(3):421–428

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu Y, Yao H, Shan D, Jiang Y, Zhang S, Yang J (2015) Heavy metal residues in soil and accumulation in maize at long-term wastewater irrigation area in Tongliao, China. J Chem 2015:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/628280

  • MacLean KS, Robinson AR, MacConnell HH (1987) The effect of sewage‐sludge on the heavy metal content of soils and plant tissue. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 18(11):1303–1316

  • Mahdavi M, Amin MM, Mahvi AH, Pourzamani H, Ebrahimi A (2018) Metals, heavy metals and microorganism removal from spent filter backwash water by hybrid coagulation-UF processes. J Water Reuse Desalin 8(2):225–233. https://doi.org/10.2166/wrd.2017.148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmood A, Mahmoud AH, El-Abedein AIZ, Ashraf A, Almunqedhi BM (2020) A comparative study of metals concentration in agricultural soil and vegetables irrigated by wastewater and tube well water. J King Saud Univ Sci 32(3):1861–1864. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2020.01.031

  • Marshall FM, Holden J, Ghose C, Chisala B, Kapungwe E, Volk J, Agrawal M, Agrawal R, Sharma RK, Singh RP (2007) Contaminated irrigation water and food safety for the urban and peri-urban poor: appropriate measures for monitoring and control from field research in India and Zambia. Incpetion Report DFID Enkar 8160(3):1–12

  • Mohallapa NJ, Kulkarni MV, Purranik PR (2010) Flux of heavy metals in soils irrigated with urban waste waters. American-Eurasian J Agric Environ Sci 8(5):487–493

    Google Scholar 

  • Muhmood A, Majeed A, Javid S, Niaz A, Majeed T, Shah SSH (2015) Health risk assessment from wastewater irrigated vegetables. American-Eurasian J Agric Environ Sci 15(7):1424–1434

    Google Scholar 

  • Mushtaq N, Khan KS (2010) Heavy metals contamination of soils in response to wastewater irrigation in Rawalpindi region. Pak J Agri Sci 47(3):215–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Pandey B, Suthar S, Singh V (2016) Accumulation and health risk of heavy metals in sugarcane irrigated with industrial effluent in some rural areas of Uttarakhand, India. Process Saf Environ Prot 102:655–666

  • Qadir M, Wichelns D, Raschid-Sally L, McCornick PG, Drechsel P, Bahri A, Minhas PS (2010) The challenges of wastewater irrigation in developing countries. Agric Water Manag 97(4):561–568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2008.11.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qasem NA, Mohammed RH, Lawal DU (2021) Removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater: a comprehensive and critical review. Npj Clean Water 4(1):36–49. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41545-021-00127-0. Assessed 02/01/2024

  • Rehman ZU, Sardar KHAN, Shah MT, Brusseau ML, Khan SA, Mainhagu J (2018) Transfer of heavy metals from soils to vegetables and associated human health risks at selected sites in Pakistan. Pedosphere 28(4):666–679. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(17)60440-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rezapour S, Atashpaz B, Moghaddam SS, Damalas CA (2019) Heavy metal bioavailability and accumulation in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) irrigated with treated wastewater in calcareous soils. Sci Total Environ 656:261–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.288

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Samsuri AW, Tariq FS, Karam DS, Aris AZ, Jamilu G (2021) Distribution of heavy metals fractionation in gold mine tailing amended with non-coated and iron-coated rice husk ash. Soil Sedim Contam Int J 30(5):1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/15320383.2020.1867504

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sayo S, Kiratu JM, Nyamato GS (2020) Heavy metal concentrations in soil and vegetables irrigated with sewage effluent: a case study of Embu sewage treatment plant, Kenya. Sci Afr 8:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2020.e00337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma A, Katnoria JK, Nagpal AK (2016) Heavy metals in vegetables: screening health risks involved in cultivation along wastewater drain and irrigating with wastewater. SpringerPlus 5:488–503. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-2129-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Solidum J, Dykimching E, Agaceta C, Cayco A (2012) Assessment and identification of heavy metals in different types of cooked rice available in the Philippine market. In: 2nd International Conference on Environmental and Agriculture Engineering IPCBEE, Vol. 37, 35–39

  • Tariq FS (2021) Heavy metals concentration in vegetables irrigated with municipal wastewater and their human daily intake in Erbil city. Environ Nanotechnol Monit Manag 16:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enmm.2021.100475

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ur Rehma MZ, Khalid H, Akmal F, Ali S, Rizwan M, Qayyum MF, Azhar M (2017) Effect of limestone, lignite and biochar applied alone and combined on cadmium uptake in wheat and rice under rotation in an effluent irrigated field. Environ Pollut 227:560–568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.05.003

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang X, Sato T, Xing B, Tao S (2005) Health risks of heavy metals to the general public in Tianjin, China via consumption of vegetables and fish. Sci Tot Environ 350:28–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.09.044

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2007) Joint FAO/WHO expert standards program codex alimentation commission. Geneva, Switzerland

  • Yang J, Ma S, Zho J, Song Y, Li F (2018) Heavy metal contamination in soils and vegetables and health risk assessment of inhabitants in Daye. China J Int Med Res 46(8):3374–3387. https://doi.org/10.1177/0300060518758585

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou H, Yang WT, Zhou X, Liu L, Gu JF, Wang WL, Liao L (2016) Accumulation of heavy metals in vegetable species planted in contaminated soils and the health risk assessment. Int J Environ Res Public Health 13(3):289–301. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13030289

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zinatloo-Ajabshir S, Morassaei MS, Salavati-Niasari M (2019) Eco-friendly synthesis of Nd2Sn2O7–based nanostructure materials using grape juice as green fuel as photocatalyst for the degradation of erythrosine. Compos B Eng 167:643–653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2019.03.045

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the Agriculture Department of the Government of Punjab, Pakistan, for its financial support in completing this work. This funding agency was not involved in the experiment or the production of the publication. We are also grateful to the Soil & Water Testing Laboratory, Sargodha, Rapid Soil Fertility Research Institute, Lahore, Pakistan for assisting us with this research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Soil Chemistry & Environmental Sciences, Kala Shah Kaku, Pakistan

    Ali Afzal, Arslan Nazarat, Muhammad Rashid & Asrar Hussain Shah

  2. Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark

    Atif Muhmood

  3. Department of Soil & Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan

    Syed Ayyaz Javed

  4. Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Farhana Siddique

Authors
  1. Ali Afzal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Atif Muhmood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Syed Ayyaz Javed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Arslan Nazarat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Muhammad Rashid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Asrar Hussain Shah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Farhana Siddique
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ali Afzal.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Haroun Chenchouni

Highlights

• Health risk from potentially toxic elements was assessed.

• Leafy vegetables accumulated higher contents of potentially toxic elements.

• Children were more prone to health risks from potentially toxic elements.

• Long-term wastewater use for growing vegetables should be avoided.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Afzal, A., Muhmood, A., Javed, S.A. et al. Appraisal of the health hazards associated with the ingestion of vegetables contaminated with potentially toxic elements. Arab J Geosci 17, 155 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-024-11953-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-024-11953-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation