Risk assessment for safety of soils and vegetables around a lead/zinc mine

Abstract

Concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu) were determined in soils and vegetables (chrysanthemum, spinach and four cultivars of Chinese cabbage from the area adjacent to a Pb/Zn mine in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, China, and compared with the Chinese National Standards for Soil Environmental Quality. The accumulation of heavy metals in cabbage cv. Siyuegreen was investigated at different distances from the center of the mine. The vegetable plantation soils were polluted with Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn, especially by Pb and Cd. The levels of Pb and Cd were 20 and 30 times higher than the permitted standards, indicating that this Pb/Zn mining area is unsuitable for agricultural use. Chinese cabbage, chrysanthemum and spinach had different enrichment coefficients. The enrichment coefficient of Cd from soil to roots of chrysanthemum was >80% and from roots to leaves of cabbage cv. Shanghaigreen was >120%. These vegetables were polluted by heavy metals and could not be regarded as safe for human consumption. Environmental accumulation of heavy metals in the vegetable plantation soils was proportional to heavy metal accumulation in vegetables and both were inversely proportional to the distance from the lead/zinc mine.

Contamination and remediation of phthalic acid esters in agricultural soils in China: a review

“…Based on an average vegetable consumption of 0.5 kg day −1 per adult, the consumption of most vegetables listed in Table 3 would exceed the acceptable daily intake of phthalic acid esters compared to the tolerable daily intake (37 μg kg ) recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency (Koch et al 2003). It is suggested that vegetables grown in contaminated soils could be considered as potentially contaminated (Li et al 2006a). Therefore, to minimize phthalic acid ester accumulation in vegetables, the use of film and agricultural chemicals containing phthalic acid esters should be avoided and vegetables should not be grown in industrial areas.…”

Isolation and characterization of heavy metal tolerant bacteria from Panteka stream, Kaduna, Nigeria and their potential for bioremediation

“…Many countries have regulatory guidelines for heavy-metal presence and exposure as well as remediation and treatment options. Screening of soil and water sources is conducted frequently to prevent overconsumption, but many of these programs and technologies are not readily available in developing nations (Li et al, 2006).…”

Assessing the health risk of heavy metals in vegetables to the general population in Beijing, China

“…Vegetable is an important part of the human diet in China (Zheng et al, 2007). It is believed that vegetables can become contaminated with HMs if they grow on soils contaminated by mining, vehicular exhaust, industrial activities and other agriculture activities (Cui et al, 2004;Li et al, 2006a). The levels of HMs in vegetables and soils and their risk to people are of great public concern (Li et al, 2006b;Wang et al, 2008Wang et al, , 2005Xie et al, 2006).…”