Monitoring and health risk assessment of selected trace metals in wheat rice and soil samples

Almas Hamid,Ramsha Amjad,Amna Azfar,Rabia Nazir,Amen Wasim

doi:10.1590/fst.23319

Abstract

Wheat and rice constitute important cereal crops and any contamination may pose potential adverse impacts on human health. The study was conducted to determine eight trace metals, i.e. cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel(Ni), manganese (Mn), in wheat, rice and soil samples collected from different cities of Punjab. Results showed general trend of trace element accumulation in samples as Cd >Cu>Zn>Co>Mn. All wheat and nine rice samples exceeded permissible limit of Cd. Copper in eight wheat and rice samples and Zn levels in three wheat and one rice samples were in excess. While only one soil sample of Multan exceeded the WHO 2007 and EU 200 0 maximum allowable limit for Cu. Manganese and Co concentration were within allowable limit, while Ni, Cr and Pb were not detected in any sample. Health Risk Index was higher than 1 for Cu, Cd, Co and Mn thereby showing potential health risks to consumers.

Highlights

Agriculture sector of Pakistan plays a dominant role in the economy with significant contribution (18.9 percent) to Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The present study focused on determination of Trace metals (TMs); Cd, Cr, Zn, Mn, Cu, Co, Pb and Ni in wheat, rice and soil samples and subsequent risk to human health
Eight metals Ni, Mn, Zn, Co, Cd, Co, Cr, Pb were investigated in wheat, rice and soil samples

Summary

Introduction

Agriculture sector of Pakistan plays a dominant role in the economy with significant contribution (18.9 percent) to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The sector provides employment to about 42.3 percent of total labor force and is most important in terms of foreign exchange earnings (Government of Pakistan, 2017). Wheat and rice are amongst the most important cereal crop grown and consumed around the world. Among the wheat producing countries of the world, Pakistan is ranked 8th in terms of area under wheat cultivation, production and yield per hectare (Riazuddin et al, 2011). With an area of 8,972 thousand hectares and a total production of 25.492 million tonnes during 2017-18, it contributed to 1.7% of GDP and 9.1% to the total value added in agriculture. Rice added to about 1.3-1.6% of GDP (Pakistan Economic survey, 2017)

Methods

Results

Conclusion