Human Health Risk Assessment of Cadmium (Cd),Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni) and Lead (Pb) fromVegetables of District Ghotki, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

The current study investigated the accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) including Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), and Lead (Pb) in eight common vegetables (tomato, bitter gourd, mustard, fennel, sunflower, brinjal, capsicum, and cluster beans). The vegetable samples were collected from three agricultural regions (Ghotki, Mirpur Mathelo, and Ubauro) of Sindh, Pakistan. The concentrations of HMs were determined using standard analytical methods. The contents of Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb were observed up to 0.090, 0.880, 0.850, and 0.68 mg/kg, respectively. The resulting data indicated the high contamination of Cr in vegetable samples of Ubauro, especially in bitter gourd, mustard, and cluster beans with a significantly maximum content of Cr in capsicum compared to other studied agricultural regions. Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) values for all metals remained within safe limits. Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values were less than 1.00 in all vegetable samples, indicating a low non-carcinogenic risk. However, bitter gourd showed the highest Health Index (HI = 1.53) and Total Target Hazard Quotient (TTHQ = 0.0154–0.753), suggesting it is the most significant contributor to overall metal exposure. Total Cancer Risk (TCR) values of HMs showed variation. The maximum estimated TCRs for Cd, Cr, and Pb from vegetables reached up to 0.430, 1.18, and 0.018, respectively, indicating a possible contribution of cancer risk. Tomato showed the highest TCR for Cd, while capsicum showed the highest TCR for Cr. Even though the individual health risks from heavy metals in most vegetables were low, the study concludes that certain vegetables and locations pose potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, warranting ongoing monitoring and further research.