Assessment of Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Vegetables in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the accumulation of heavy metals in vegetables in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India. Heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and copper (Cu) are taken under the study in three common vegetables viz brinjal, cabbage and capsicum. The testing of these heavy metals was carried out as per Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) norms in a food analytical laboratory by using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The study showed that the concentration of Pb, Hg and Cu in all three vegetables are under the permissible limit as per FSSAI standards and only the concentration of Cd in cabbage was found approximately three times (0.14 mg/kg) of the FSSAI standards (0.05 mg/kg). The concentration of Pb, Cd, Hg and Cu in Brinjal are 0.24, 0.13, 0.78, and 0.14 mg/kg, respectively and similarly, in cabbage, these were found to be 0.24, 01.4, 0.65 and 0.05 mg/kg, respectively and in capsicum, the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Hg and Cu were recorded as 0.21, 0.13, 0.98 and 0.19 mg/kg, respectively.