Heavy Metals Assessment in Vegetables Irrigated with Wastewater: A Case Study in District Sargodha, Pakistan

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the heavy metals toxicity in vegetables irrigated with wastewater. Different experimental sites were selected from district Sargodha, Pakistan. Samples of wastewater, contaminated soil and vegetables irrigated with wastewater were collected and analyzed. Concentration of heavy metals such as Cadmium (Cd), Copper, (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Zinc, (Zn) and Iron (Fe) were determined from soil, water and vegetables samples irrigated with wastewater and fresh water. Cadmium concentration was present from 0.1 to 0.3 μgg-1, chromium concentration from 0.03 to 0.11 μgg-1, Copper concentration from 0.2 to 0.7 μgg-1, iron concentration was present from 2.6 to 4 μgg-1 and Zinc concentration was present from 0.1 to 0.3 μgg-1 in vegetables irrigated with waste water. Heavy metals concentrations recorded in vegetables were within the safe limit except cadmium as recommended by WHO.