Statistical characteristics of selected elements in vegetables from Kosovo

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Food Safety
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Essential elements (Zn, Cu, Fe, Cr, Co) and toxic metals (Pb, Cd) require monitoring in vegetables due to potential health impacts.
• Vegetables are a significant part of the diet in Kosovo, necessitating an assessment of their metal content.
• Trace elements in food pose health risks if concentrations exceed safe limits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the concentrations of essential and toxic metals in commonly consumed vegetables from Kosovo.
• To assess the oral intake and health risk index associated with consuming these vegetables.
• To evaluate the safety of Kosovo-origin vegetables for the general population's diet.

Main Methods:

• Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used to quantify elemental concentrations.
• Statistical analyses, including correlation and principal component analysis, were employed.
• Health risk indices and oral intake calculations were performed for each metal.

Main Results:

• Positive correlations were observed between the concentrations of various elements in the analyzed vegetables.
• Principal component analysis yielded 15 new variables characterized by eigenvalues.
• The health quotient sequence was Zn = Mn > Pb > Cu > Ni > Fe > Cd > Co > Cr, with all values below 1.

Conclusions:

• The health quotients for all investigated heavy metals in Kosovo vegetables were below the safety threshold of 1.
• The analyzed vegetables (radish, onion, garlic, spinach) from Kosovo are safe for regular consumption.
• This study provides crucial data for food safety assessments in the region.