Abstract:
The current study focused on quantifying hazardous heavy metals (Pb. Cu, and Cr)
in soil-vegetables (potato, tomato, pepper, cauliflower, and cabbage) systems in
different Upazilla of Bogura district in Bangladesh to assess their effect on human
health and the environment. The instrumental detection method was validated
according to linearity, determination co-efficient, limit of detection (LOD), limit of
quantification (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 Upazilla 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). The contamination
degree (CD) data also showed that all vegetables 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. Health risk assessment showed that all vegetable samples were
unsafe for human consumption as the carcinogenic health risk (CHR˃10
) and noncarcinogenic
health risk (HI ˃1) quotients seem more than the safe level in all
vegetable samples. Findings show that heavy metal concentrations were high in
vegetable fields endangering the environment and consumer health. Actions should
be taken to reduce heavy metal pollution in the vegetable fields of different Upazilla
of Bogura district to protect the environment and the consumer's health.
Description:
A Thesis
Submitted to the Department of Agricultural Chemistry,
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207,
In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY
