Assessment of Heavy Metals in Eggplant Fruit from Urban and Rural Areas of Bangladesh

Abstract

Dietary intake of contaminated food with heavy metals may cause severe risk for the human health. Heavy metals affect adversely a human health. The current study assessed the concentrations of heavy metals including Cu, Zn, Pb and Ni in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) of urban and rural areas in Bangladesh. The experimental samples of fresh eggplant fruits were collected from six local markets in Jashore, Bangladesh, and the tissues were extracted with nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Trace elements in eggplant fruits were estimated with atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Obtained result show that Heavy metal concentrations were high in the urban areas compared to rural areas. Heavy metals in the eggplant fruits of rural and urban areas were: Pb (2.74-18.64), Cu (10.20-67.16), Ni (46.63-148.46), and Zn (86.65-148.73) mg.kg-1 respectively. The concentrations of Pb, Ni and Zn in eggplant were at an excess of safe limits according to the Food and Agriculture and World Health Organizations. While, Cu was lower than the maximum safe limit. The present study concluded that growing eggplants in Jashore areas are heavily contaminated with Pb, Ni and Zn that would be hazardous for consumer’s health. The result of this study will be beneficial for the agricultural policy makers in Bangladesh to take appropriate action and reduce the heavy metal toxicity among fresh food products.

Keywords

• Atomic absorption spectrometer
• Copper
• Lead
• Nickel
• Nitric acid
• Zinc