Statistical characteristics of selected elements in vegetables from Kosovo

Zinc, copper, iron, chromium and cobalt are essential elements for human health, showing toxicity only in high concentrations, while lead and cadmium are extremely toxic even as traces. Therefore, it is important to monitor the contents of toxic metals in vegetables. Large number of vegetables is gr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental monitoring and assessment 2015-06, Vol.187 (6), p.389-14, Article 389
Main Authors: Micic, Ruzica, Mitic, Snezana, Arsic, Biljana, Jokic, Anja, Mitic, Milan, Kostic, Danijela, Pavlovic, Aleksandra, Cekerevac, Milan, Nikolic-Bujanovic, Ljiljana, Spalevic, Zaklina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allium cepa
Allium sativum
Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution
Cadmium
Chromium
Cobalt
copper
Data analysis
diet
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecology
Ecotoxicology
Environment
Environmental Management
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Pollution - statistics & numerical data
garlic
Gas flow
Health risk assessment
Health risks
Heavy metals
human health
Humans
Investigations
iron
Kosovo
lead
manganese
Metals - analysis
Monitoring/Environmental Analysis
nickel
onions
principal component analysis
Principal components analysis
radishes
risk
Soil Pollutants - analysis
spinach
Spinacia oleracea
Statistical analysis
Statistics
Toxicity
Trace Elements - analysis
Vegetables
Vegetables - chemistry
zinc
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Summary:Zinc, copper, iron, chromium and cobalt are essential elements for human health, showing toxicity only in high concentrations, while lead and cadmium are extremely toxic even as traces. Therefore, it is important to monitor the contents of toxic metals in vegetables. Large number of vegetables is grown and used in nutrition, in Kosovo. The concentrations of selected elements in vegetables (radish, onion, garlic and spinach) from Kosovo were determined using ICP-OES method. Oral intake of metals and health risk index were calculated. Statistical analysis indicated numerous positive correlations between concentrations of selected elements in vegetables. As a result of principal component analysis, 15 new variables were obtained which were characterized by eigenvalues. The sequence of health quotients for the heavy metals followed the decreasing order Zn = Mn > Pb > Cu > Ni > Fe > Cd > Co > Cr. The health quotients for all investigated heavy metals were below 1 (one), which is considered safe. The vegetables from Kosovo are mainly safe for use in everyday diet.
ISSN:0167-6369
1573-2959
DOI:10.1007/s10661-015-4606-3