Heavy Metal Contamination in Leafy Vegetables Grown in Jazan Region of Saudi Arabia: Assessment of Possible Human Health Hazards

Asim Najmi, Mohammed Albratty (), Abdul Jabbar Al-Rajab, Hassan A. Alhazmi, Sadique A. Javed, Waquar Ahsan, Zia ur Rehman, Rym Hassani and Saad S. Alqahtani
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Asim Najmi: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed Albratty: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
Abdul Jabbar Al-Rajab: Centre for Environmental Research and Studies, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
Hassan A. Alhazmi: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
Sadique A. Javed: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
Waquar Ahsan: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
Zia ur Rehman: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
Rym Hassani: Nursing Department, University College of Sabya, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
Saad S. Alqahtani: Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: The food chain, through vegetable consumption, is considered to be an important route of heavy metal exposure. Therefore, in this study, heavy metal concentrations in leafy vegetables grown in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia were assessed using an ICP-MS. Lettuce, radish, mint, parsley and jarjir (Arugula) were selected for study and subjected to digestion using HCl. The results indicated that the Fe level was highest in all vegetables, while jarjir was the most contaminated vegetable. However, no tested metal exceeded the maximum permissible limits set by the FAO/WHO and European Committee. The possible health hazards associated with the exposure to metal contaminants via vegetable consumption were evaluated by estimating target hazard quotient (THQ) values, and the results revealed that the vegetables grown in close proximity of Jazan city were the most contaminated and those in Darb the least. However, the daily intakes of all the tested metals were well below the corresponding oral reference doses (RfDs), and the THQ values were less than unity, suggesting that the vegetables grown in the studied region were safe and the heavy metal exposure via vegetable consumption was unlikely to cause adverse effects to the local inhabitants of the region.

Keywords: heavy metals; ICP-MS; Jazan; leafy vegetables; Saudi Arabia; target hazard quotient (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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