Risk assessment of heavy-metal contamination on vegetables grown in long-term wastewater irrigated urban farming sites in Accra, Ghana

Assessment was done of heavy-metal contamination and its related health risks in urban vegetable farming in Accra. Samples of irrigation water (n=120), soil (n=144) and five different kinds of vegetable (n=240) were collected and analyzed for copper, zinc, lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel and cobalt....

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Main Authors: Lente, I., Keraita, Bernard N., Drechsel, Pay, Ofosu-Anim, J., Brimah, A.K.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Springer 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34650
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author Lente, I.
Keraita, Bernard N.
Drechsel, Pay
Ofosu-Anim, J.
Brimah, A.K.
author_browse Brimah, A.K.
Drechsel, Pay
Keraita, Bernard N.
Lente, I.
Ofosu-Anim, J.
author_facet Lente, I.
Keraita, Bernard N.
Drechsel, Pay
Ofosu-Anim, J.
Brimah, A.K.
author_sort Lente, I.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Assessment was done of heavy-metal contamination and its related health risks in urban vegetable farming in Accra. Samples of irrigation water (n=120), soil (n=144) and five different kinds of vegetable (n=240) were collected and analyzed for copper, zinc, lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel and cobalt. All water, soil and vegetable samples contained detectable concentrations of each of the seven heavy metals except for irrigation water which had no detectable chromium, cadmium and cobalt. All heavy-metal levels were below permissible limits except lead on vegetables which was 1.8-3.5 times higher. Health risk assessments showed for all elements that normal consumption of each of the vegetables assessed poses no risk. The highest hazard index obtained was 42 % for wastewater irrigated cabbage. Though within permissible limits, cabbage and ayoyo had the highest potential risk. Compared with previous studies on the same sites, the data show that the risk from heavy metals is less significance than that from pathogen contamination which has positive implications for risk mitigation.
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spelling CGSpace346502025-02-24T06:54:18Z Risk assessment of heavy-metal contamination on vegetables grown in long-term wastewater irrigated urban farming sites in Accra, Ghana Lente, I. Keraita, Bernard N. Drechsel, Pay Ofosu-Anim, J. Brimah, A.K. risk assessment heavy metals contamination vegetable growing urban agriculture wastewater irrigation public health sampling indicators Assessment was done of heavy-metal contamination and its related health risks in urban vegetable farming in Accra. Samples of irrigation water (n=120), soil (n=144) and five different kinds of vegetable (n=240) were collected and analyzed for copper, zinc, lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel and cobalt. All water, soil and vegetable samples contained detectable concentrations of each of the seven heavy metals except for irrigation water which had no detectable chromium, cadmium and cobalt. All heavy-metal levels were below permissible limits except lead on vegetables which was 1.8-3.5 times higher. Health risk assessments showed for all elements that normal consumption of each of the vegetables assessed poses no risk. The highest hazard index obtained was 42 % for wastewater irrigated cabbage. Though within permissible limits, cabbage and ayoyo had the highest potential risk. Compared with previous studies on the same sites, the data show that the risk from heavy metals is less significance than that from pathogen contamination which has positive implications for risk mitigation. 2012-12 2013-11-21T06:40:32Z 2014-02-02T16:39:50Z 2013-11-21T06:40:32Z 2014-02-02T16:39:50Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34650 en Limited Access Springer Lente, I., Keraita, B., Drechsel, P. et al. Risk Assessment of Heavy-Metal Contamination on Vegetables Grown in Long-Term Wastewater Irrigated Urban Farming Sites in Accra, Ghana. Water Qual Expo Health 4, 179–186 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-012-0077-8
spellingShingle risk assessment
heavy metals
contamination
vegetable growing
urban agriculture
wastewater irrigation
public health
sampling
indicators
Lente, I.
Keraita, Bernard N.
Drechsel, Pay
Ofosu-Anim, J.
Brimah, A.K.
Risk assessment of heavy-metal contamination on vegetables grown in long-term wastewater irrigated urban farming sites in Accra, Ghana
title Risk assessment of heavy-metal contamination on vegetables grown in long-term wastewater irrigated urban farming sites in Accra, Ghana
title_full Risk assessment of heavy-metal contamination on vegetables grown in long-term wastewater irrigated urban farming sites in Accra, Ghana
title_fullStr Risk assessment of heavy-metal contamination on vegetables grown in long-term wastewater irrigated urban farming sites in Accra, Ghana
title_full_unstemmed Risk assessment of heavy-metal contamination on vegetables grown in long-term wastewater irrigated urban farming sites in Accra, Ghana
title_short Risk assessment of heavy-metal contamination on vegetables grown in long-term wastewater irrigated urban farming sites in Accra, Ghana
title_sort risk assessment of heavy metal contamination on vegetables grown in long term wastewater irrigated urban farming sites in accra ghana
topic risk assessment
heavy metals
contamination
vegetable growing
urban agriculture
wastewater irrigation
public health
sampling
indicators
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34650
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