Heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment in wastewater-irrigated urban vegetable farming sites of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background: Wastewater irrigation for vegetable production is a highly prevalent practice in Addis Ababa and a number of articles have been published on wastewater-irrigated soils and vegetables contaminated with heavy metals. However, to the best of our knowledge, an insight into assessment of huma...

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Main Authors: Woldetsadik, D., Drechsel, Pay, Keraita, Bernard N., Itanna, F., Gebrekidan, H.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Springer 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/83348
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author Woldetsadik, D.
Drechsel, Pay
Keraita, Bernard N.
Itanna, F.
Gebrekidan, H.
author_browse Drechsel, Pay
Gebrekidan, H.
Itanna, F.
Keraita, Bernard N.
Woldetsadik, D.
author_facet Woldetsadik, D.
Drechsel, Pay
Keraita, Bernard N.
Itanna, F.
Gebrekidan, H.
author_sort Woldetsadik, D.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Background: Wastewater irrigation for vegetable production is a highly prevalent practice in Addis Ababa and a number of articles have been published on wastewater-irrigated soils and vegetables contaminated with heavy metals. However, to the best of our knowledge, an insight into assessment of human health risks associated with the consumption of vegetable crops grown on wastewater-irrigated soils is non-existent in the city. Long-term effect of wastewater irrigation on the build-up of heavy metals in soils and selected vegetable crops in Addis Ababa urban vegetable farming sites (10) was evaluated. By calculating estimated daily intakes (EDIs) and target hazard quotients (THQs) of metals, health risk associated with the consumption of the analyzed vegetables was also evaluated. Results: The heavy metal concentrations in irrigation water and soils did not exceed the recommended maximum limits (RMLs). Moreover, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn concentrations in all analyzed vegetables were lower than the RML standards. In contrast, Pb concentrations were 1.4–3.9 times higher. Results of two way ANOVA test showed that variation in metals concentrations were significant (p < 0.001) across farming site, vegetable type and site x vegetable interaction. The EDI and THQ values showed that there would be no potential health risk to local inhabitants due to intake of individual metal if one or more of the analyzed vegetables are consumed. Furthermore, total target hazard quotients (TTHQs) for the combined metals due to all analyzed vegetables were lower than 1, suggesting no potential health risk even to highly exposed local inhabitants. Conclusions: There is a great respite that toxic metals like Pb and Cd have not posed potential health risk even after long term (more than 50 years) use of this water for irrigation. However, intermittent monitoring of the metals from irrigation water, in soil and crops may be required to follow/prevent their build-up in the food chain.
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spelling CGSpace833482025-02-24T06:54:18Z Heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment in wastewater-irrigated urban vegetable farming sites of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Woldetsadik, D. Drechsel, Pay Keraita, Bernard N. Itanna, F. Gebrekidan, H. heavy metals public health health hazards wastewater irrigation urban areas vegetable growing irrigation water soil soil organic matter ph crops elements farming systems food science Background: Wastewater irrigation for vegetable production is a highly prevalent practice in Addis Ababa and a number of articles have been published on wastewater-irrigated soils and vegetables contaminated with heavy metals. However, to the best of our knowledge, an insight into assessment of human health risks associated with the consumption of vegetable crops grown on wastewater-irrigated soils is non-existent in the city. Long-term effect of wastewater irrigation on the build-up of heavy metals in soils and selected vegetable crops in Addis Ababa urban vegetable farming sites (10) was evaluated. By calculating estimated daily intakes (EDIs) and target hazard quotients (THQs) of metals, health risk associated with the consumption of the analyzed vegetables was also evaluated. Results: The heavy metal concentrations in irrigation water and soils did not exceed the recommended maximum limits (RMLs). Moreover, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn concentrations in all analyzed vegetables were lower than the RML standards. In contrast, Pb concentrations were 1.4–3.9 times higher. Results of two way ANOVA test showed that variation in metals concentrations were significant (p < 0.001) across farming site, vegetable type and site x vegetable interaction. The EDI and THQ values showed that there would be no potential health risk to local inhabitants due to intake of individual metal if one or more of the analyzed vegetables are consumed. Furthermore, total target hazard quotients (TTHQs) for the combined metals due to all analyzed vegetables were lower than 1, suggesting no potential health risk even to highly exposed local inhabitants. Conclusions: There is a great respite that toxic metals like Pb and Cd have not posed potential health risk even after long term (more than 50 years) use of this water for irrigation. However, intermittent monitoring of the metals from irrigation water, in soil and crops may be required to follow/prevent their build-up in the food chain. 2017-12 2017-09-07T06:11:13Z 2017-09-07T06:11:13Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/83348 en Open Access Springer Woldetsadik, D.; Drechsel, Pay; Keraita, B.; Itanna, F.; Gebrekidan, H. 2017. Heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment in wastewater-irrigated urban vegetable farming sites of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. International Journal of Food Contamination, 13p. (Online first) doi: 10.1186/s40550-017-0053-y
spellingShingle heavy metals
public health
health hazards
wastewater irrigation
urban areas
vegetable growing
irrigation water
soil
soil organic matter
ph
crops
elements
farming systems
food science
Woldetsadik, D.
Drechsel, Pay
Keraita, Bernard N.
Itanna, F.
Gebrekidan, H.
Heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment in wastewater-irrigated urban vegetable farming sites of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
title Heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment in wastewater-irrigated urban vegetable farming sites of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
title_full Heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment in wastewater-irrigated urban vegetable farming sites of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
title_fullStr Heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment in wastewater-irrigated urban vegetable farming sites of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment in wastewater-irrigated urban vegetable farming sites of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
title_short Heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment in wastewater-irrigated urban vegetable farming sites of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
title_sort heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment in wastewater irrigated urban vegetable farming sites of addis ababa ethiopia
topic heavy metals
public health
health hazards
wastewater irrigation
urban areas
vegetable growing
irrigation water
soil
soil organic matter
ph
crops
elements
farming systems
food science
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/83348
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