Abstract
Foraging wild-growing edible plants (WEPs) is a re-emerging practice with increasing popularity worldwide, including in urban areas. However, in cities, this practice raises questions about the safety of foraging these plants for human consumption, due to the potential exposure of plants to higher levels of pollutants. In this study, the concentration of 12 elements (Al, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, As, Rb, Cd, Ba and Pb) in three different WEPs (Amaranthus spp., Plantago tomentosa and Taraxacum officinale) were determined according to different traffic categories in the municipality of São Paulo. Additionally, plants were sampled within the inner areas of three municipal parks in the same study region. Different gradients of elemental concentrations were obtained according to the traffic categories. Freeways presented higher concentrations of several elements than local roads or parks. For the WEPs collected along freeways and some plants along arterial roads, the concentrations of Pb exceeded safety levels for human consumption. Our data suggest that foraging in large urban centres should be performed preferentially in low-traffic areas.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
