Human Health Risk From Toxic Chemicals Via Consumption Of Food Crops In The Vicinity Of Selected Industrial Areas, Pakistan

Abstract

The current study was designed to evaJume heavy IllClaJs (Ni . Cr. Ft!, Cu. Cu. Mil. 1)[1. Zn. Cd) contamination in water. soil. and food crops (edible pans) V.iilh di lTc n:nl irrigation sources from Sialkot and Wazir!:lbad cities known ror industrial Ilctivitil!s for possible potential human health risk. Surface soil and 12 food crops irrigated with waste, tube well water and unknown sources were ana lyzed through atom ic absorption spectrophotometer for selected heavy meta ls analyses. All tbe metals except Cd in the soil and Cd, Pb. Cu. Cr in the irrigation waleI' and Cd, Pb. Cr in the food crops sampl es were within permissible limits. Mean concentrations o f Cd (0.27- 0.64 and 0.14-0.44 mgtJ) and Cr \ 1.8-18.2 und 0.27-1.67 Illg/l) in both \vaSll' Llild luhl.: well water and e ll (0. 18-0.66 mg/I) and Pb (3.08-7.3J mg/l) in the \\ll:"!L'\I;lIl'!" e,xceeded the pennissible lim its sel by FAO 19H5. Cd tom:t'nJraliuJ1 In hlllil I\'l;-.I( U,13- 1 1.13 mg/kg) and tube we ll water' (1.28-4 .18 mglkg) irrigated ,'ioils \~t.·r'L: uhplt' the European Union standard . 2002. All the food {TOPS irrigaled with l\tlsl!.'. tllh..: I,"{'II and unknolvn sources accumulated high levels of Pb (22.4-40.8S. IS.28-26.7lJ. I H 32.26 mg/kg) and Cd (1.18-3.81 , 0.41-1.20, 0.97-2.82 mg/kgJ that tan puse human health risk, whil e. Cr conccmratiol1s in wastewater and unknQ\ovl1 irrigllted lood crop ~ wercabove the permissible WHO/FAD, 2007 Umils. Plant concentr<ltion factor (peF) was > 1 for Mn and Pb in diffen:nt food ('rops i l1 particular to leafy vegetables. The Pb showed higher HRI> I in all t.he food crops irrigated with three irrigation sources. Cd for all IIle vegetables irrigllted with waste and unknown practices posing deleterious human health risk. while Health risk index W:J S < I for Mn in unknown and tube we ll irrigaled food crops- except Splllfll-'lfI oleracea irrigated with wastewater. The study insights tlmt wast{'w'lIl.:r irrigau:J samples revealed higher health risk as compared III lInkncl\\l1 and lllht' Ill'll \\:111.:1' irrigclted sampl es. Prior tn.:all11enl or W(lst(! waleI' and ils rnulitll.: tlhltlll{,rrtlg \ .. suggcsteJ 10 avoid pussible !.' onl:HllitlHlioll or food chain,