Abstract
Tomato fruit enormously consumed in Burkina Faso is a source of health risk due to its quality. The plant of tomato cultivated in most the industrially polluted area as Ouagadougou, accumulates significant quantities of heavy metals and microorganisms and could be dangerous for consumption. The present study was conducted to investigate heavy metal and microbial contamination in soils wastewater and vegetables (tomato fruit) and to evaluate the possible health risks associated with the consumption of vegetables. Total concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Se and Zn were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Transfer factor (TF), daily intake of metals (DIM) and health risk index (HRI) were also calculated. Microbial quality was analyzed for the presence of foodborne pathogens. The pH involved from 6.50 ± 0.1 to 9.40 ± 0.12 respectively for Boulmiougou and Kossodo. The mean metal concentrations indicated that soils were strongly polluted followed by wastewater and vegetable. The range of the mean values (in mg · kg-1) exhibited by As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Se and Zn in tomato fruit was 17.80 ± 0.32, 2.71 ± 0.02, 11.57 ± 0.2, 203.41 ± 1.20, 15.13 ± 0.30, 53.18 ± 0.20, 38.56 ± 0.10, 109.13 ± 0.25 concerning samples of Boulmiougou and 3.47 ± 0.15, 2.78 ± 0.01, 22.11 ± 0.1, 242.85 ± 2.10, 14.86 ± 0.10, 132.19 ± 1.50, 33.23 ± 0.15, 146.43 ± 1.12 for Kossodo. Microbial count was below to acceptable limits for vegetable, but underlined the presence of spoiler and foodborne pathogens. However, the daily intake of metals (DIM) and the health risk index (HRI) values were found to be under to the prescribed maximum tolerable.
Highlights
Solanaceae family member tomato is one of the world’s most cultivated vegetables with a worldwide production of 129,650,000 tons [1]
High Transfer factor (TF) values for heavy metals were shown in the soil of Boulmiougou. These results indicated that the uptake of heavy metals by food crops increase linearly with increasing metal concentrations in the soil and wastewater
The results of this study supply valuable information about the metal contents and microbial quality in tomato fruit irrigated with wastewater in Burkina Faso
Summary
Solanaceae family member tomato is one of the world’s most cultivated vegetables with a worldwide production of 129,650,000 tons [1]. Tomato fruits are usually eaten whole in salads, cooked in sauces, soup and meat, fish dishes or consumed as paste and catsup [3] [4] It contains many nutrients, anti-oxidants and secondary metabolites such as vitamins C and E, b-carotene, lycopene, flavonoids, organic acids, phenolics and chlorophyll, which are important for human health [4] [5]. Agricultural soils and irrigation water in many parts of the world and Burkina are slightly to be contaminated by toxic heavy metals. This could be due to industrial wastewater, sewage sludge applications, fertilizers, and watering practices in agricultural lands. The use of wastewater from the city in agriculture irrigation may have significant effects of accumulation of toxic heavy metals and microorganisms in soils and agricultural products [6] [7] [8] [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
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 call
