Investigation on heavy metal content in common grown vegetables from polluted sites of Moradabad district, India

Department of Chemistry, D. S. B. Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital-263 002, Uttarakhand, India E-mail : geeta_k@rediffmail.com Manuscript received online 01 June 2013, revised 29 July 2014, accepted 08 August 2014 Vegetables growing on heavy metal contaminated soils can accumulate high concentrations of trace elements and may pose serious health risk to consumers. Essential trace elements (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cr) were analyzed in edible and non-edible parts of six vegetables i.e. palak, bathua, shalgam, cauliflower, cabbage and coriander collected from Dhaurinala and Karula nala at Moradabad district using AAS. Concentration of Cr in all vegetables and Zn in Dhauri palak roots and leaves, Karula nala bathua roots and leaves and Karula nala shalgam crossed the tolerable limits for human consumption. Transfer factor of Cr was observed to be maximum. There was risk of consumption of examined vegetables, as daily intake for chromium was above the tolerable daily intake value