Tracing Potentially Toxic Metals from Water to Soil, Maize, and Cow Milk: Food Chain Risks and Safety Concerns

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Food Safety
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Roadside agricultural systems are susceptible to contamination from anthropogenic sources.
• Vehicle emissions are a primary source of heavy metal pollution.
• Understanding metal transfer through the food chain is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the transfer of potentially toxic metals from soil and water to maize and cow milk.
• To compare metal concentrations at roadside (RS) and control sites (CS).
• To assess the health risks associated with metal intake from contaminated food.

Main Methods:

• Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) was used to quantify metal concentrations (Zn, Cu, Co, Mn, Mo, Fe, Pb, Cd).
• Samples included irrigation water, soil, maize, and cow milk from RS and CS locations.
• Contamination Factor (CF), Bioconcentration Factor (BCF), and Health Risk Index (HRI) were calculated.

Main Results:

• Significantly higher concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) were found in RS samples.
• Extensive transfer of trace metals from soil to maize was observed.
• Copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) were identified as the most significant health risks.

Conclusions:

• Roadside agricultural systems are vulnerable to potentially toxic metal accumulation.
• Vehicle emissions contribute to metal contamination in the food chain.
• Continuous monitoring is essential to ensure food safety and protect public health.