Accumulation of Cadmium and Lead in Soils and Vegetables of Lenjanat Region in Isfahan Province, Iran

Abstract

Various heavy metals have been reported as dangerous agents to the human health and wildlife when they occur in the environment at high concentrations. Cadmium and lead compounds are classified as human carcinogens by several regulatory agencies. Vegetables grown at environmentally contaminated sites could take up and accumulate metals at concentrations that are probably toxic to human health. In this study, concentrations of cadmium and lead in some of vegetables and soil samples were investigated in different areas of a developed industrial city in Isfahan province, Central Iran. One hundred and thirty topsoil samples and fifty samples of vegetables were collected from agricultural lands and analyzed for heavy metals. The concentration of Pb and Cd was more than 5 and 0.5 mg kg−1, respectively. The total of Cd concentration in most of the soil samples exceeded the suggested Swiss thresholds (0.8 mg kg−1). The results showed that 48% and 75% of the vegetables samples had concentrations of Cd and Pb exceeded the FAO-WHO limits, respectively. Results from the present study demonstrate that the most of the plants grown on the soils of this region, contaminated with heavy metals, and pose a major health concern.

Keywords

• Heavy metals
• Soil contamination
• Vegetables
• Isfahan