The Potential Health Risk Associated with Edible Vegetables Grown on Cr(VI) Polluted Soils

Richard Oruko Ongon’g, Joshua N. Edokpayi, Titus A. M. Msagati, Nikita T. Tavengwa, Grace N. Ijoma and John O. Odiyo
Additional contact information
Richard Oruko Ongon’g: Department of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa
Joshua N. Edokpayi: Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa
Titus A. M. Msagati: Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability Research Unit, College of Science Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, P.O. Box 392, UNISA 003, The Science Campus, Roodepoort 1709, Johannesburg, South Africa
Nikita T. Tavengwa: Department of Chemistry, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa
Grace N. Ijoma: Institute for Development of Energy for African Sustainability, College of Science, Engineering and Technology University of South Africa, 28 Pioneer Ave, Florida Park, Roodepoort 1709, Johannesburg, South Africa
John O. Odiyo: Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-19

Abstract: This study reports on the assessment of the growth potential of five edible vegetables, which were grown in Cr(VI) spiked soils. The vegetable plants that were used in this study were Vigna angularis , Cicer arietinum , Spinacia oleracea , Amaranthus dubius Thell and Phaseolus vulgaris . Dried ground samples from roots, stems and leaves were analysed for various oxidation states of Cr. The daily intake of chromium, hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) methods were employed to assess the potential human health risks posed by these Cr oxidation states through vegetable consumption. The results showed that Vigna angularis was the only vegetable that germinated in highly concentrated Cr(VI) in the simulated soil (456 mg/kg). The highest total chromium (Ch T ) bioaccumulated in the roots was found in Phaseolus vulgaris at 0.8. The highest Ch T translocation factor in the stem was that of Cicer arietinum and Vigna angularis at 0.30. The same plants translocated the highest Ch T to the leaf at 0.7. A child or an adult consuming such contaminated Cicer arietinum vegetables were likely to take in between 508 and 785 mg/day of Ch T, which are above the World Health Organisation guidelines of 220 and 340 mg/day, respectively. The highest HQ was found in Cicer arietinum at 8.7 and 13.4 for adults and children, respectively. The same species of plants also had high HI at 17.4 and 27.2 for adults and children, respectively. This indicated that consumers of the edible vegetables grown in Cr(VI) rich soils may be exposed to health risks, and the children were more likely to be vulnerable to these adverse effects than the adults.

Keywords: bioaccumulation; edible vegetables; hazard quotient; health index; speciation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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