Health Risks of Heavy Metals through Consumption of Greenhouse Vegetables Grown in Central Iran

ABSTRACT

Elevated heavy metal (HM) concentrations in vegetables may pose serious health risks to humans. There is limited information on health risks associated with HM contaminants in greenhouse vegetables. The objective of this study was to estimate the health risks of Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr via consumption of greenhouse cucumbers and bell peppers produced in Iran using the total non-cancer hazard quotient (THQ) and cancer risk assessment estimates. Cadmium, Pb, Ni, and Cr concentrations in the vegetables varied from < 0.02 to 0.05, 0.19 to 0.64, 0.16 to 0.20 and 0.07 to 0.13 μg g⁻¹, respectively. Individual metal THQ values indicate the relative absence of non-cancer health effects associated with intake of a single metal through consumption of either cucumbers or bell peppers. The THQ for all population groups via consumption of greenhouse cucumbers and bell peppers was smaller than 1.0, which shows low possibility of any obvious risk. The result showed that Cd is the major risk contributor for the consumers. The cancer risk assessment for Pb for Qom adult populations groups via consumption of cucumbers and bell peppers was greater than 1 × 10⁻⁶. High Pb and Cd concentration in the greenhouse vegetables is an important concern that has to be considered.

Key Words:

• Iran
• lead
• cadmium
• nickel
• chromium
• greenhouse vegetables

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This research was financially supported by Support Box of Iranian Researcher (Project No. 84105-25).

Notes

*Values with the same letter within each column are not significantly different at p = .05.

*Oral RFD = 0.05 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹, Critical effect: Hematologic, neurologic and musculoskeletal.

*Oral RFD = 0.001 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹, Critical effect: Protienuria, RFD Source: IRIS.

*Oral RFD = 1.5 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹, Critical effect: Reproductive effects, RFD Source: IRIS.

*Oral RFD = 0.02 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹, Critical effect: Lungs, kidneys, and neurologic, RFD Source: IRIS.

*SF = 8.5 × 10⁻³(mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹)⁻¹, Critical effect: Kidney tumors, SF Source: CalEPA.