Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Chemical and Industrial Engineering, University of Engineering & Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan.
Department of Plant Protection, Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan.
PLoS One. 2022 Jun 16;17(6):e0267719. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267719. eCollection 2022.
Industrialization plays a vital role in the development of a country's economy. However, it also adversely affects the environment by discharging various unwanted and harmful substances such as heavy metals into the surface and subsurface aquifers. The current research work investigates the identification, characterization, and evaluation of specific heavy metals in industrial wastewater (IWW) and different composite samples of soil and vegetables (onion, pumpkin, lady finger, and green pepper) collected from selected agricultural fields irrigated with canals fed IWW in Mingora city of Swat (Pakistan). Obtained results were compared with the tube well water irrigated soil and vegetables grown in it. Heavy metals accumulation was tested through wet digestion method and atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). The metal transfer factor (MTF) of heavy metals from soil to vegetables was also determined along with the health index (HI) to assess the potential health risk of the metals towards consumers using Monte Carlo simulation technique. Analysis of water samples showed that the concentration in mg l-1 of heavy metals in IWW follows the trend Fe (6.72) > Cr (0.537) > Pb (0.393) > Co (0.204) > Mn (0.125) > Ni (0.121). Analysis of the soil samples irrigated with IWW followed the order of Fe (47.27) > Pb (2.92) > Cr (2.90) >Ni (1.02) > Mn (0.90) > Co (0.68) and Fe (17.12) > Pb (2.12) > Cr (2.03) >Ni (0.76) > Co (0.49) > Mn (0.23) irrigated with TWW. Heavy metals concentration values found in soil irrigated with IWW were higher than the soil irrigated with TWW. Similar trends were found for agricultural produces grown on soil irrigated with IWW and found higher than the normal allowable WHO limits, indicating higher possibilities of health risks if continuously consumed. MTF values were found higher than 1 for ladyfinger and green pepper for Pb intake and pumpkin for Mn intake. The current study suggests the continuous monitoring of soil, irrigation water and agricultural products to prevent heavy metals concentration beyond allowable limits, in the food chain. Thus, concrete preventive measures must be taken to reduce heavy metal accumulation through wastewater irrigation to protect both human and animal health in the study area of Mingora Swat Pakistan.
工业化在国家经济发展中起着至关重要的作用。然而，它也通过将各种不需要的和有害的物质排放到地表水和地下水层中，对环境产生不利影响。目前的研究工作调查了在斯瓦特市明戈拉市（巴基斯坦）的选定农业领域，从灌溉用运河的工业废水（IWW）和不同的土壤和蔬菜（洋葱、南瓜、佛手瓜和青椒）复合样本中，对特定重金属进行识别、表征和评估。将得到的结果与用井水灌溉的土壤和种植在其中的蔬菜进行比较。重金属积累通过湿法消化法和原子吸收分光光度法（AAS）进行测试。还确定了重金属从土壤到蔬菜的转移因子（MTF），以及健康指数（HI），以使用蒙特卡罗模拟技术评估金属对消费者的潜在健康风险。水样分析表明，IWW 中重金属的浓度以 mg l-1 为单位，其趋势为 Fe（6.72）>Cr（0.537）>Pb（0.393）>Co（0.204）>Mn（0.125）>Ni（0.121）。用 IWW 灌溉的土壤样本的分析遵循 Fe（47.27）>Pb（2.92）>Cr（2.90）>Ni（1.02）>Mn（0.90）>Co（0.68）的顺序，而用 TWW 灌溉的土壤样本的分析遵循 Fe（17.12）>Pb（2.12）>Cr（2.03）>Ni（0.76）>Co（0.49）>Mn（0.23）的顺序。在用 IWW 灌溉的土壤中发现的重金属浓度值高于用 TWW 灌溉的土壤。在用 IWW 灌溉的土壤上种植的农产品也发现了类似的趋势，其浓度高于世界卫生组织的正常允许限值，这表明如果持续食用，存在更高的健康风险可能性。MTF 值对于摄入 Pb 的佛手瓜和青椒以及摄入 Mn 的南瓜，发现高于 1。目前的研究建议对土壤、灌溉水和农产品进行持续监测，以防止重金属浓度超过允许限值，防止食物链中的重金属浓度超过允许限值。因此，必须采取具体的预防措施，通过废水灌溉减少重金属积累，以保护巴基斯坦明戈拉斯瓦特地区的人类和动物健康。
