Health Risk Assessment from Wastewater Irrigated Vegetables

Consumption of heavy metals contaminated vegetables is a main food chain channel for exposure of human. This study was conducted to evaluate the adverse effects of heavy metals via contaminated vegetables receiving waste water irrigation. It was found from the obtained results that the waste water irrigated soils and vegetables collected from Multan, Pakistan have considerable amount of heavy metals. Ni, Cd, Cr and Cu concentration in wastewater and Cd, Zn, Cu and Fe contents in soil were above the safe limits. The heavy metals concentration in vegetables was greater than the permissible limits of WHO (World Health Organization). It was also found that both children and adults ingest considerable amount of the heavy metals by consuming wastewater irrigated vegetables. Hazard Quotient of cadmium was more than 1 which indicated potential health risk from cadmium while for Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ni and Cr have hazard quotient value of less than 1 which showed that no potential health risk would occur from these heavy metals with the consumption of vegetables contaminated with the said heavy metals.