Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Vegetables from Agricultural Soils

This study analyzed the heavy metals in vegetablescultivated in long term irrigated soils in the Bregu i Matit Plain, NW Albania.Twelve vegetable and soil samples taken from irrigated and non-irrigated fieldsin this area were analyzed for the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb and Ni using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), after extraction by HNO3 and H2O2.The transfer factors (TF) were used to evaluate the risk of metal transfer from soil to plant and the FAO/WHO safe limits to assess the potential hazards of heavy metals to human health.Mean concentration of total heavy metals The rangesof heavy metal concentrations ± standard deviation in vegetable samples were (mg kg-1): Cu 2.98-12.90 (±3.08), Ni 4.82-35.79 (±7.68), Zn Zn >Cu > Ni > Pb. The TF values indicate that only Cd was accumulated in plants.The contents of Cd in three vegetable samples, Pb in four samples, and Cu in one sample were above the safe limits set by the FAO/WHO for heavy metals in foods and vegetables suggesting that consumption of vegetables grown in the studied soils could be dangerous to human health.