Health Risk Assessment of Dietary Heavy Metals Intake from Fruits and Vegetables Grown in Selected Old Mining Areas—A Case Study: The Banat Area of Southern Carpathians

Dan Nicolae Manea, Anişoara Aurelia Ienciu, Ramona Ştef, Iosefina Laura Şmuleac, Iosif Ion Gergen and Dragos Vasile Nica
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Dan Nicolae Manea: Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Mihai I of Romania” from Timişoara, 119 Calea Aradului Street, 300001 Timişoara, Romania
Anişoara Aurelia Ienciu: Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Mihai I of Romania” from Timişoara, 119 Calea Aradului Street, 300001 Timişoara, Romania
Ramona Ştef: Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Mihai I of Romania” from Timişoara, 119 Calea Aradului Street, 300001 Timişoara, Romania
Iosefina Laura Şmuleac: Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Mihai I of Romania” from Timişoara, 119 Calea Aradului Street, 300001 Timişoara, Romania
Iosif Ion Gergen: Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Mihai I of Romania” from Timişoara, 119 Calea Aradului Street, 300001 Timişoara, Romania
Dragos Vasile Nica: Faculty of Pharmacy, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara, 300041 Timişoara, Romania

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-19

Abstract: In this study, we conducted a noncarcinogenic risk assessment of consuming vegetables and fruits grown in two old mining areas from the Banat area of Southern Carpathians (Romania), Moldova Veche (M) and Rusca Montana (R) and in a nonpolluted reference area located near the village of Borlova (Ref). Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd and Pb in soils and commonly eaten vegetables and fruits were measured and used for calculating the weighted estimated daily intake of metals (WEDIM), the target hazard quotients (THQ) and the total target hazard quotients (TTHQ) for normal daily consumption in adults. Levels of certain metals in soils and plants from the R area (Pb) and the M area (Cu) were higher than those measured in the Ref area—and often exceeded normal or even alert-threshold levels. TTHQs for the R area (1.60; 6.03) and the M area (1.11; 2.54) were above one for leafy vegetables and root vegetables, respectively, suggesting a major risk of adverse health effects for diets, including these vegetal foodstuffs. Moreover, THQ and TTHQ indicated a higher population health risk for the R area than for the M area, with the Ref area being a safe zone.

Keywords: heavy metals; soil; fruits; vegetables; risk assessment; THQ; TTHQ; FAAS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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