Ecological risk assessment of Cd, As, Cr, and Pb metals in farmed wheat in the vicinity of an industrial park

ABSTRACT

Heavy metals are one of the most concerning pollutants in the environment that can enter the food chain. This study aimed to evaluate metals pollution and their bioaccumulation in the farmed wheat around an Industrial Park and to assess the health risk of these metals. Sampling of soil and farmed wheat irrigated by both groundwater and treated wastewater was performed. The heavy metal concentration in the soil and framed wheat samples were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean concentrations of Cd, As, Cr, and Pb in wheat were 0.171, 0.003, 6.437 (mg/kg), and 1.052 (mg/kg) and this metals for soil were 1.884, 8.924, 36.848, 16.283 (mg/kg) for irrigated farms with groundwater and 0.149, 0.315, 4.638 (mg/kg), and 2.066 (mg/kg) for wheat farms irrigated farms with treated wastewater, and 0.939, 4.643, 24, 692, 14.135 for soil with treated wastewater respectively. The Cd, Cr and Pb content of wheat were higher than the standards limit set by the U.S. EPA. Non-carcinogenic risk was not observed through all 4 exposure routes for the studied population. However, the carcinogenic risk of Cd, As and Pb through oral route for wheat and ingestion of soil was considerable in the studied population.

KEYWORDS:

• Heavy metals
• risk assessment
• metal content
• soil pollution

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to appreciate Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences for supporting this research (Grant ID: 106, Research Ethics Certificate: IR.NUMS.REC.1397.025).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).