Levels of Heavy Metal in Vegetable, Fruits and Cereals Crops in Ethiopia: A Review

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution of the environment through anthropogenic and natural processes are expanded in a serious problem. Heavy metals are elements in the predict table they have high atomic weight, atomic number and atomic densities higher than 4 g/cm3, among those metals lead, cadmium, zinc, mercury, arsenic, silver, chromium, copper, iron, platinum and others. Toxic heavy metal contamination of food crops is a big concern global world mainly in developing country like Ethiopia. Ultimately, heavy metal toxicity and disease in human and animals are because of conception of heavy metal contaminated soil, food and air. The huge amount environmental contamination by toxic heavy metals are dangerous because of their uptake by plants and subsequent accumulation in food crops consumed by animals and humans is deleterious to heath. There are many known source of toxic heavy metals including the nature, which releases in to the food, air and water, and human activities like fertilizer application in agricultural farm, the use of herbicides and pesticide and wastewater irrigation. Other sources of heavy metals in environment are smoking, automobile emission, industries, swage and waste disposal. Most studies showed that vegetables and other food crops consumed in Ethiopia are contaminated by heavy metals this is associated with adverse health issues such as cancer, which is currently serious in Ethiopia. It is therefore a big concern based on those issues the communities to avoid the conception of heavy metal contaminated food items. There is also need monitoring of the levels of heavy metals in food crops and precaution of heavy metal controlling methods.