Evaluation of Physicochemical Properties and Metallic Contents in Vegetables Irrigated with Water from Different Sources

This study focuses on the assessment of health risk potential by quantifying some selected metals (Cd, Cr, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Ni, Pb) in vegetables and soil irrigated with different sources of water. The physicochemical parameters of irrigating water were within the safe limits except for SAR in sewage water (18.723 mg/kg) and industrial wastewater (40.332 mg/kg). The Mn (19 mg/kg) was higher than the safe limit in vegetable and soil irrigated with tube well water. The sewage water irrigated vegetable had high level of cadmium (1.557 mg/kg), lead (2.307 mg/kg) and chromium (3.566 mg/kg) than safe limits. The canal water had high level of cadmium (0.286 mg/kg) and lead (0.569 mg/kg). The vegetable irrigated with tube well water was best for human health while vegetable irrigated with sewage water, canal water, and industrial wastewater was of poor quality and unfit for human health due to high level of toxic metals.

Automated summary

This study found that vegetables irrigated with different water sources had high levels of heavy metals, especially those irrigated with sewage water and industrial wastewater. These vegetables were of poor quality and unfit for human health.