Determination of Cadmium Concentrations of Vegetables Grown in Soil Irrigated with Wastewater: Evaluation of Health Risk to the Public

Abstract

THE MAIN objective of the study was to determine the cadmium (Cd) concentrations in vegetables grown in soil irrigated with canal water and sewage water. The samples were analysed by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The mean Cd concentrations in soil ranged between 1.153-2.294mg/kg and the mean Cd concentrations (mg/kg) in vegetables ranged from 0.789 to 1.575, 0.210 to 0.423, 0.264 to 0.523, 0.203 to 0.404, 0.169 to 0.334, 0.223 to 0.443, 0.723 to 1.443 and 0.344 to 1.450mg/kg for Raphanus sativus, Brassica rapa, Zingiber officinale, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum frutescens, Capsicum annuum, Solanum lycopersicum and Curcuma longa, respectively. The recorded health risk index value for Cd concentration was greater than 1 in each vegetable and these values were higher than the determined permissible limit. In all vegetables, health risk index values for Cd were higher during sewage water treatments as compared to the canal water treatments. Finally, the study showed that bioaccumulation of Cd in vegetable samples was high in the study area.