Hettick Bryan E, Cañas-Carrell Jaclyn E, Martin Kirt, French Amanda D, Klein David M
Department of Environmental Toxicology, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH), Texas Tech University, PO Box 41163, Lubbock, TX, 79409-1163, USA.
Department of Natural Sciences, Lubbock Christian University, 5601 19th Street, Lubbock, TX, 79407, USA.
Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. 2016 Sep;97(3):395-400. doi: 10.1007/s00128-016-1893-5. Epub 2016 Jul 26.
Arsenic is a carcinogenic element that occurs naturally in the environment. High levels of arsenic are found in water in some parts of the world, including Texas. The aims of this study were to determine the distribution of arsenic in muskmelon (Cucumis melo) plants accumulated from arsenic spiked water and to observe effects on plant biomass. Plants were grown and irrigated using water spiked with variable concentrations of arsenic. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to quantify arsenic in different parts of the plant and fruit. Under all conditions tested in this study, the highest concentrations of arsenic were found in the leaves, soil, and roots. Arsenic in the water had no significant effect on plant biomass. Fruits analyzed in this study had arsenic concentrations of 101 μg/kg or less. Consuming these fruits would result in less arsenic exposure than drinking water at recommended levels.
