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Apportionment of heavy metals in soil and vegetables and associated health risks assessment

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Abstract

This study assessed the concentrations of seven common heavy metals such as chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in agricultural soils and mostly consumed vegetable species and their possible human health risk in Bogra District, northern Bangladesh. The range of mean concentrations were 20.47–59.09, 20.09–69.13, 20.50–74.99, 47.46–128.06, 5.04–23.14, 1.67–6.90 and 31.81–67.65 mg/kg for Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb, respectively. Accumulation factors (AFs) of heavy metals from soil to the vegetables exhibited highest values for Cu (0.56 ± 0.16), followed by Zn (0.39 ± 0.16). Multivariate principal component analysis showed significant anthropogenic contributions of Cr, Cu, As and Cd in soil and Cr, Ni, Cu and Pb in vegetables. Target hazard quotients (THQs) for individual metals (except As) were below 1, suggesting that people would not experience significant health hazards if they ingest a single metal from one species of vegetable. However, total metal THQ (1.530–5.575) signifies the potential non-carcinogenic health hazard to the highly-exposed consumers in Bangladesh. The target carcinogenic risk (TR) of As (0.275–1.108) and Pb (0.001–0.026) through consumption of vegetables were higher than the USEPA threshold level. From the health point of view, this study showed that the inhabitants who consume contaminated vegetables are exposed chronically to metal pollution with carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the authority of Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU), Bangladesh and Yokohama National University, Japan, for providing laboratory facilities. The authors also delighted to express their gratefulness and sincerest thanks to Professor Dr. Md. Shams-Ud-Din (Vice Chancellor, PSTU), for his valuable suggestions and cooperation to carry out this research. Furthermore, we are thankful for the kind help from the members of the department of Soil Science Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU), Bangladesh, during the field sampling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali, 8602, Bangladesh

    Md. Saiful Islam

  2. Department of Oceanography, Dhaka University, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh

    Md. Kawser Ahmed

  3. Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan

    Md. Habibullah-Al-Mamun

  4. Department of Fisheries, Dhaka University, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh

    Md. Habibullah-Al-Mamun

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  1. Md. Saiful Islam
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Correspondence to Md. Saiful Islam.

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Islam, M.S., Ahmed, M.K. & Habibullah-Al-Mamun, M. Apportionment of heavy metals in soil and vegetables and associated health risks assessment. Stoch Environ Res Risk Assess 30, 365–377 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-015-1126-1

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