Detection of Lead and Cadmium Concentration in some popular Fruits and Vegetables Available in the Market of Kut

Abstract

This study aimed to shed light on the contamination of the most important foods with heavy metals, which were collected from vendors in the most crowded markets in the Wasit Province, Iraq. The content of lead and cadmium in eleven types of vegetables and fruits were estimated, as they are among the most dangerous toxic foods contaminated with heavy metals, which are among the most important components of the basic meals of Iraqi citizens. An atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Model Phoenix–986 AAS) was used to assess heavy metals. The results showed that the concentration of lead in some vegetables ranged between (0.021 to 1.05 μg/g) and in fruits it reached (0.25 to 0.39 μg/g). As for the cadmium element, the results showed that its concentration was less than the concentration of lead, as it reached (0.073 to 0.182 μg/g) in vegetables and (0.065 to 0.133 μg/g) in fruits. The study revealed potential health risks associated with the consumption of different types of vegetables and fruits. The results showed that the concentration of lead and cadmium in most of the studied samples exceeded the permissible limit recommended by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization, which may assist Iraqi regulatory bodies in developing new strategies to reduce risks to humans.