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Heavy Metal Levels in Soil, Tomatoes and Selected Vegetables from Morogoro Region, Tanzania

Received: 18 March 2016     Accepted: 28 March 2016     Published: 20 April 2016
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Abstract

The concentrations of heavy metals of Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn were determined in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. butrytis L.), carrot root (Daucus carota L. ), tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculenta Mill. ), onion bulb (Allium cepa L. ) and leafy cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capital capitata L.), and the respective soils from Morogoro region, Tanzania. The accumulated heavy metals were quantified and levels compared to FAO/WHO (2003) and TZS (2007) safety limits for such produce. The methodology involved random sampling, extraction of the metals from the tomatoes, vegetables and soil and determination of heavy metals by using ICP-OEC and GFAAS. The results showed that levels of Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn at 90% of the sites in vegetables and tomatoes were above the FAO/WHO limit. The mean concentrations of Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn in all vegetables and tomatoes except Cu were also found to be above this limit therefore advocating a health risk for consumers. Levels of heavy metals in the soils were below the limits of the Tanzanian standard (TZS 972: 2007) and were lower than levels found in vegetables. The bioconcentration factor for Cu recorded 1 for tomatoes and cabbage at Towelo and below 1 for tomatoes and cauliflowers from Mgeta. Cd in onions at Mgeta as well recorded below 1. However, the bioconcentration factor for these heavy metals in vegetables and tomatoes in all other sites were found to be above 1 in all heavy metals an indication of high uptake of heavy metals in the vegetables and tomatoes from the soil. These results suggest that such vegetables and tomatoes might place the consumers at health risk; therefore they are not safe for consumption in their raw state.

Published in International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (Volume 4, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijema.20160403.13
Page(s) 82-88
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2016. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Heavy Metals, Vegetables, Tomatoes, Soil, Bioconcentration Factor, Tanzania

References
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  • APA Style

    Lugwisha Esther Hellen, Othman Chande Othman. (2016). Heavy Metal Levels in Soil, Tomatoes and Selected Vegetables from Morogoro Region, Tanzania. International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, 4(3), 82-88. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20160403.13

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    ACS Style

    Lugwisha Esther Hellen; Othman Chande Othman. Heavy Metal Levels in Soil, Tomatoes and Selected Vegetables from Morogoro Region, Tanzania. Int. J. Environ. Monit. Anal. 2016, 4(3), 82-88. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20160403.13

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    AMA Style

    Lugwisha Esther Hellen, Othman Chande Othman. Heavy Metal Levels in Soil, Tomatoes and Selected Vegetables from Morogoro Region, Tanzania. Int J Environ Monit Anal. 2016;4(3):82-88. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20160403.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijema.20160403.13,
      author = {Lugwisha Esther Hellen and Othman Chande Othman},
      title = {Heavy Metal Levels in Soil, Tomatoes and Selected Vegetables from Morogoro Region, Tanzania},
      journal = {International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis},
      volume = {4},
      number = {3},
      pages = {82-88},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijema.20160403.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20160403.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijema.20160403.13},
      abstract = {The concentrations of heavy metals of Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn were determined in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. butrytis L.), carrot root (Daucus carota L. ), tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculenta Mill. ), onion bulb (Allium cepa L. ) and leafy cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capital capitata L.), and the respective soils from Morogoro region, Tanzania. The accumulated heavy metals were quantified and levels compared to FAO/WHO (2003) and TZS (2007) safety limits for such produce. The methodology involved random sampling, extraction of the metals from the tomatoes, vegetables and soil and determination of heavy metals by using ICP-OEC and GFAAS. The results showed that levels of Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn at 90% of the sites in vegetables and tomatoes were above the FAO/WHO limit. The mean concentrations of Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn in all vegetables and tomatoes except Cu were also found to be above this limit therefore advocating a health risk for consumers. Levels of heavy metals in the soils were below the limits of the Tanzanian standard (TZS 972: 2007) and were lower than levels found in vegetables. The bioconcentration factor for Cu recorded 1 for tomatoes and cabbage at Towelo and below 1 for tomatoes and cauliflowers from Mgeta. Cd in onions at Mgeta as well recorded below 1. However, the bioconcentration factor for these heavy metals in vegetables and tomatoes in all other sites were found to be above 1 in all heavy metals an indication of high uptake of heavy metals in the vegetables and tomatoes from the soil. These results suggest that such vegetables and tomatoes might place the consumers at health risk; therefore they are not safe for consumption in their raw state.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Heavy Metal Levels in Soil, Tomatoes and Selected Vegetables from Morogoro Region, Tanzania
    AU  - Lugwisha Esther Hellen
    AU  - Othman Chande Othman
    Y1  - 2016/04/20
    PY  - 2016
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20160403.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijema.20160403.13
    T2  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
    JF  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
    JO  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
    SP  - 82
    EP  - 88
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-7667
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20160403.13
    AB  - The concentrations of heavy metals of Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn were determined in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. butrytis L.), carrot root (Daucus carota L. ), tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculenta Mill. ), onion bulb (Allium cepa L. ) and leafy cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capital capitata L.), and the respective soils from Morogoro region, Tanzania. The accumulated heavy metals were quantified and levels compared to FAO/WHO (2003) and TZS (2007) safety limits for such produce. The methodology involved random sampling, extraction of the metals from the tomatoes, vegetables and soil and determination of heavy metals by using ICP-OEC and GFAAS. The results showed that levels of Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn at 90% of the sites in vegetables and tomatoes were above the FAO/WHO limit. The mean concentrations of Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn in all vegetables and tomatoes except Cu were also found to be above this limit therefore advocating a health risk for consumers. Levels of heavy metals in the soils were below the limits of the Tanzanian standard (TZS 972: 2007) and were lower than levels found in vegetables. The bioconcentration factor for Cu recorded 1 for tomatoes and cabbage at Towelo and below 1 for tomatoes and cauliflowers from Mgeta. Cd in onions at Mgeta as well recorded below 1. However, the bioconcentration factor for these heavy metals in vegetables and tomatoes in all other sites were found to be above 1 in all heavy metals an indication of high uptake of heavy metals in the vegetables and tomatoes from the soil. These results suggest that such vegetables and tomatoes might place the consumers at health risk; therefore they are not safe for consumption in their raw state.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Chemistry Department, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

  • Chemistry Department, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

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