Heavy metal contamination of soil,and bioaccumulation in vegetables irrigated with treated waste water in the tropical city of Varanasi,India |
| |
| Authors: | Archana Mishra Brahma Dutt Tripathi |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Pollution Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Botany , Center of Advance Study, Banaras Hindu University , Varanasi, India archanamishra06@gmail.com archna_misra28@yahoo.co.in;3. Pollution Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Botany , Center of Advance Study, Banaras Hindu University , Varanasi, India |
| |
| Abstract: | The present study was conducted to determine the heavy metal contamination in soil with accumulation in plants in waste water irrigated areas. Results revealed that waste water contained lower concentrations of Cr, Zn, Cu, and Pb except Cd (0.03) than the permissible limits prescribed by the World Health Organization. The maximum metal concentrations occurred in Brassica oleracea (Zn 63.80, Cu 12.25, Cr 10.65, Pb 3.63, and Cd 0.56 mg Kg?1).The metal enrichment (EF of Cd 1.9, Cr2.9, Zn 4.8, Cu 6.5, and Pb 15.5) and degree of contamination (CF of Cd 2.9, Cr 2.0, Zn 2.3, Cu 2.7, and Pb 2.2) showed that accumulation of the five toxic metals increased during sewage irrigation as compared with the reference values, other Indian regions and globally. However, based on WHO standards for heavy metal contamination of soil and irrigation water, our data does not ensure safe levels for food. |
| |
| Keywords: | heavy metal enrichment factor contamination factor irrigation accumulation |
|
|
