Toxic Elements Accumulation in Vegetables from Soil
Collected from the Vicinity of a Fertilizer Factory and
Possible Health Risk Assessment
Volume 3 - Issue 2
Shirin Akter1, S.M. Azharul Islam2, M. Obaidur Rahman2, K.M. Mamun1, M.J. Kabir1, M. Safiur Rahman1, B.A. Begum1,
M. Joynal Abedin3, S.I. Tushar4 and Y.N. Jolly1*
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- 1Atmospheric and Environmental Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Centre Dhaka, Bangladesh
- 2Department of Physics, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh
- 3Accelerator Facilities Division, Atomic Energy Centre Dhaka, Bangladesh
- 4Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka
*Corresponding author:
Y.N. Jolly, Atmospheric and Environmental Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Centre Dhaka,
Bangladesh
Received: March 06, 2019; Published: March 13, 2019
DOI: 10.32474/OAJBEB.2019.03.000159
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Abstract
Present study deals with the investigation of the magnitude of toxic elements in commonly consumed vegetables grown in the
vicinity of a Fertilizer Factory and evaluate the degree of health risk burden due to dietary intake of those vegetables as well. The
vegetable samples showed greatest probabilities of toxic elements (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As and Pb) contamination depending on
their species and locations. To find out the possible source of contaminants, soil samples from where the vegetable samples were
collected were also analysed. In most cases concentration of all the elements (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As and Pb) in soil samples are
equal to or near the suggestive world average value. To find out the solubilisation of these contaminants, soil-plant Transfer Factor
(TF) was also calculated and the value obtained are below 1 in each case with an exception of Cu for Brinjal (1.065)and Sponge
Gourd (1.027).
Health risk assessment was also done on the basis of various health risk indices calculation. It was found that all the vegetables
are highly contaminated with the toxic elements analysed. Estimated daily intake of metal revealed that all the elements are within
the reference dose (suggested by WHO. USEPA) except arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) and therefore HRI value for As and Pb was also
found significantly high to pose any health hazard. Calculated non-carcinogenic (THQ) value for Cr and Ni was below 1 but for As
and Pb the THQ value was high enough for public health concern. Cr, Ni, As and Pb present in different vegetable samples posed
significant levels of carcinogenic risk as their values exceed the safe limit (10-6 - 10-4) suggested by USEPA.
Keywords: Toxicity; Hazard Quotient; Xrf Spectroscopy; Health Risk Index; Transfer Factors; Carcinogenic Risk
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