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Published on: May 15, 2017
Site-specific risk assessment in contaminated vegetable gardens
Emese Sipter1, Eniko Rózsa, Katalin Gruiz
1Department of Labor and Environmental Health, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Nagyvárad tér 4, Hungary. esipter@mail.bme.hu <esipter@mail.bme.hu>
Chemosphere
|January 15, 2008
Summary
Metal contamination in Hungarian vegetable gardens near a lead/zinc mine was assessed. Despite high soil metal levels, homegrown vegetables did not pose an unacceptable health risk to the local population.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Environmental Chemistry
- Toxicology
Background:
- Abandoned lead/zinc mines can be sources of soil metal contamination.
- Flooding events can redistribute contaminated soil, impacting adjacent areas like vegetable gardens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze metal contamination (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, zinc) in flooded and non-flooded vegetable gardens.
- To evaluate the health risks associated with consuming homegrown vegetables from these gardens.
Main Methods:
- Field survey in Gyöngyösoroszi, Hungary, near an abandoned mine.
- Measurement of metal concentrations in soil and vegetable samples.
- Calculation of bioconcentration factors and hazard indices.
Main Results:
- Flooded gardens showed significantly higher metal content than non-flooded ones.
- Sorrel accumulated metals most, while cadmium and lead were the most mobile elements.
- Arsenic was not bioavailable for vegetable uptake.
Conclusions:
- The highest health risk was linked to lead ingestion via vegetables.
- Hazard indices remained below the acceptable threshold in both garden types.
- Overall, garden metal contamination does not present an unacceptable risk to villagers.
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