Abstract:
Extended Summary
The current study focused on quantifying hazardous heavy metals (Cu, Cr, and Pb) in soilvegetable
(potato,
tomato,
pepper,
cauliflower,
and
cabbage)
systems
in
different
Upazilas
of
Bogura
district to assess their impact on human health and the environment. The
instrumental detection method was validated according to linearity, determination coefficient,
LOD, LOQ, accuracy, and precision. All the vegetables and their field soil had Cu
concentrations lower than the maximum permissible limit set by BFSA, FAO/WHO. The
concentration of Cr and Pb in vegetables exceeded the maximum allowable limit, but their
field soil in different upazillas of Bogura District did not exceed the maximum allowable
limit as per FAO/WHO. For contamination factor (CF), only Pb severely contaminated the
vegetables (CF>6) produced in different Upazilas of the Bogura district. The contamination
degree (CD) data also showed that all vegetables produced in the fields of different Upazilas
of Bogura had severe contamination. The pollution load index (PLI) results indicated
vegetable field soil of Kahaloo, and Bogura Sadar had the highest PLI, while the vegetables
produced in Nandigram and Dupchanchia had the lowest PLI. The bioaccumulation factor
(BF) values were found ˂1 in all vegetables for Cu, Cr, and Pb indicating trace metal
transfer from field soil to consumable parts. Furthermore, the potential ecological risk factor
(ERi) by single metal and risk index (PERI) results revealed lower ecological risks in
vegetable fields in different Upazilas of the Bogura district. Health risk assessment showed
that all vegetable samples are unsafe for human consumption as the carcinogenic health risk
(CHR˃10
-4
) and non-carcinogenic health risk (HI ˃1) quotients seem more than the safe
level in all vegetable samples collected six Upazilas of Bogura district. Findings show that
heavy metal concentrations are high in vegetable fields in different Upazilas of the Bogura
district, endangering the environment and consumer health. So, action is needed to reduce
heavy metal pollution in the vegetable fields of different Upazilas of Bogura district to
protect the environment and the consumer's health.
