Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Vegetables Grown in Wastewater-Irrigated Areas of Titagarh, West Bengal, India

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 80; no. 2; pp. 115 - 118
• Main Authors: Gupta, N, Khan, D. K, Santra, S. C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York New York : Springer-Verlag 01.02.2008; Springer-Verlag; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Aquatic Pollution; Cadmium; Copper; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Food Contamination; Health hazards; Heavy metals; Irrigation; Irrigation water; Lead; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Municipal wastewater; Pollution; Public health; Soil contamination; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Science & Conservation; Vegetables; Vegetables - chemistry; Waste Water Technology; Wastewater irrigation; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollution Control; Water treatment; India, West Bengal; Irrigation; Wastewater; Contamination; Heavy metal
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-007-9327-z

The effects of municipal wastewater irrigation on the accumulation of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Cu and Ni) in soil and vegetables were investigated by monitoring wastewater-irrigated agricultural field of Titagarh, 24-Parganas (North), West Bengal, India. The mean concentrations of Pb, Ni, Cu in the irrigation water and the mean Cd content in soil were much above the recommended level. The concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr and Ni in all the examined vegetables were beyond the safe limits. The study reveals that heavy metal-contaminated vegetables grown in wastewater-irrigated areas may pose public health hazards.