Concerns over food safety and possible health risks have made metal pollution in agricultural soils a growing problem. Plants can accumulate heavy and trace metals from various sources, although soil is considered a primary source. The main route by which heavy metals enter the human body is by consuming edible plant parts containing these metals, which may cause various diseases. Consuming plant parts that contain heavy metals, which can lead to a variety of ailments, is one of the main ways that these metals can get into the human body. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the phytoextraction potential of four plants-cowpea, moth bean, malabar spinach, and red amaranth, and look into the content of various metals in agricultural soil. The pot experiment was conducted for 12 weeks. Seven common heavy metals, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc, were analyzed in the soil and plants. Plant samples were analyzed separately for their roots, stems, leaves, and seeds. The findings demonstrated that all metal concentrations in plants, with the exception of lead, were below the World Health Organization / Food and Agriculture Organization recommended level. All of the plants had Pb levels above allowable limits, which may be a possible carcinogen. Furthermore, Pb’s carcinogenic potential in all edible plant parts was above the USEPA’s recognized risk. Thus, the carcinogenic risk of Pb is a concern for the study area.
Key words: Food chain, health risk, soil pollution, trace elements
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