Lead, Zinc, and Cadmium in Vegetable/Crops in a Zinc Smelting Region and its Potential Human Toxicity

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 2011-11, Vol.87 (5), p.586-590
• Main Authors: Yang, Yuangen, Li, Feili, Bi, Xiangyang, Sun, Li, Liu, Taoze, Jin, Zhisheng, Liu, Congqiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Aquatic Pollution; Brassica; Cadmium; Cadmium - analysis; China; Crops; Crops, Agricultural - chemistry; Diet; Diet - statistics & numerical data; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Environmental Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Environmental Health; Humans; Lead; Lead - analysis; Metallurgy; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Pollution; Smelting; Soil contamination; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Science & Conservation; Toxicity; Vegetables; Vegetables - chemistry; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Zinc; Zinc - analysis
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-011-0388-7

Lead, Zn, and Cd in vegetables/crops were investigated in a zinc smelting region in China, and their daily dietary intake by local residents was estimated. It is observed that Pb, Zn, and Cd were in 34.7–91.1, 242–575, and 0.199–2.23 μg g −1 dry weight in vegetables/crops with their greatest concentrations in leafy vegetable. The daily dietary intake of Pb, Zn, and Cd by adult residents reached 3, 646, 59,295, and 186 μg day, respectively, and lettuce and cabbage together contributed 75% of the Pb, 50% of the Zn, and 70% of the Cd.