Assessment of Lead,Nickel,Cadmium

accumulation in vegetables and soils

receiving sewage water

M.ABUBAKAR SIDDIQUE
2009-ag-2768
Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences
 What are heavy metals?

The metals which in their standard state, have a specific

gravity (density) of more than about 5 gcm-3.
These are members of loosely defined subset of elements
that exhibit metallic properties.It mainly includes transition
metals i.e metalliods,lanthinides and actinides
There are 60 heavy metals

Heavy metals include Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ni, Cd, Cr, As, Se

etc.
 Introduction
 Water is an essential molecule needed by all living things for
their survival and existence on this planet
 About (6%) water is used for domestic, (3%) for industrial and
(90%) of available water is used for irrigation purposes
 Instead of having the biggest canal irrigation system networks,
still there is shortage of surface water supplies in Pakistan
 This shortage is being compensated by the use of urban waste
water (sewage and industrial effluents) for growing vegetables
especially in areas around big cities
 Anually about 30 million tones of waste water is
produced in the world more than 70% of that is used
as an agriculture fertilizer.
 Which is drained to the agricultural lands where it is
used for growing crops including vegetables.
 These sewage effluents are considered not only a rich
source of organic matter and other nutrients
 but also they elevate the level of heavy metals like Fe,
Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd and Co in receiving soils
 it leads to contamination of the food chain, because vegetables
absorb heavy metals from the soil polluted air and water (Singh
et al., 2004).
 Heavy metals affects on plants
 They interfere in the enzyme action by replacing metal ions
from the metaloenzymes.
 causes structural change in chloroplast
 reduces photosynthesis
 reduces availability of carbon dioxide
 lowers stomatal conductance,
 reduces total lipids
 interfere with membrane permeability
 reduces respiration in leaves
 reduction in total chlorophyll production
(Agarwal, 2002).
 Adverse affects of heavy metals on human health

The heavy metals effects human health by

 impairing mental and neurological function,

 influencing neurotransmitter production and utilization

 affecting metabolic processes

 Impairing detoxification pathways (colon, liver, kidneys, skin),

endocrine (hormonal),
 Effecting energy production pathways

 Influencing enzymatic pathway

 Impairing nervous (central and peripheral) system

(Greenwood and Earnshaw, 1986).

 Objective
This study was conducted

 To quantify the sources of pollution in Faisalabad to

determine the distribution of heavy metals in selected areas of
Faisalabad.
To assess the concentration of metals in different parts of
plants (leaves and fruit).
 To investigate the heavy metals in selected area of Faisalabad
 To determine and quantify the distribution of heavy metals in
urban soils (0-15 cm and 15-30 cm).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
 Soil Analysis

Equipments and Apparatus

 Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS)

 Mechanical shaker

 Glass beakers

 Filter papers

 Funnels

 Storage bottles

 Volumetric flasks

 Cylinders
Reagents:
 0.005M DTPA
 2-0.01M CaCl2 (anhydrous)
 3-0.1M TEA (tri-ethanol amine, adjusted to pH 7.3
with dilute HCl).
DTPA Preparation
 1.97g of DTPA, 1.1g of anhydrous CaCl2 and 14.92 g
of TEA were dissolved in approx. 800 ml of distilled
water. After sufficient time for DTPA to dissolve on
magnetic stirrer hot plate, volume was made.
Adjusted the pH 7.3 with 1:1 HCl or 1:1 NH4OH
while stirring
(Lindsay and Norvell 1978)
Method for Soil Analysis

 25 g soil sample was taken and 50 ml of DTPA solution added

to it. Then it was shaken continuously for 2 hours on
horizontal shaker and was filtered. A blank solution
(containing all reagents except soil) was run with samples as
blank. Read each element concentration on concentration
mode by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. At least 4
standards were prepared for each element with a range as
following
For; Ni 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 ppm
CALCULATION:
Heavy metal (ppm)=AAS reading x dilution factor
RESULTS
 FIG.1:1 Concentration of lead in soil samples irrigated with
sewage water (0-15 cm) and (15-30 cm)
(3-Nawaban wala,23-Neomana.0.3-45r) (1-Nawaban wala,20 Neomana-0.6-9.2r)

Concentration of lead in soil samples (0-15 cm) Sample 1 Concentration of lead (ppm) in soil samples (15-30 cm)
Sample 2
Sample 3 Sample 1
50 10
Sample 4 Sample 2
Sample 3
Sample 5 9
45 Sample 4
Sample 6
Sample 5
Sample 7 8
40 Sample 6
Sample 8
Sample 7
Concentration of Pb (ppm)

Sample 9

Concentration of Pb (ppm)
35 7 Sample 8
Sample 10 Sample 9
30 Sample 11 6 Sample 10
Sample 12 Sample 11
Sample 13 Sample 12
25 5
Sample 14 Sample 13

Sample 15 Sample 14
20 4
Sample 15
Sample 16
Sample 16
15 Sample 17 3 Sample 17
Sample 18
Sample 18
10 Sample 19 2 Sample 19
Sample 20 Sample 20
5 Sample 21 1 Sample 21
Sample 22 Sample 22
0 Sample 23 0 Sample 23
Sample 24 Sample 24
Soil Samples Soil Samples
Sample 25 Sample 25
 Fig: 1.2: Concentration of nickle in soil samples (0-15 cm)
and (15-30) irrigated with sewage water
(7-Malkhanwala,3-Neomana)(25,3)
Sample 1 Sample 1
Concentration of nickle in soil samples (0-15 cm) Concentration of nickle in soil samples (15-30 cm)
Sample 2 Sample 2
Sample 3 Sample 3
3.5 Sample 4 1 Sample 4
Sample 5 Sample 5
Sample 6 0.9 Sample 6
3
Sample 7 Sample 7
Sample 8
0.8 Sample 8
Concentration of Ni (ppm)

Concentration of Ni (ppm)
Sample 9 Sample 9
2.5 0.7
Sample 10 Sample 10
Sample 11 Sample 11
0.6
2 Sample 12 Sample 12
Sample 13 Sample 13
0.5
Sample 14 Sample 14
1.5 Sample 15 Sample 15
0.4
Sample 16 Sample 16
Sample 17 0.3 Sample 17
1
Sample 18 Sample 18
Sample 19 0.2 Sample 19

0.5 Sample 20 Sample 20

Sample 21 0.1 Sample 21
Sample 22 Sample 22
0 Sample 23 0 Sample 23

Soil Samples Sample 24 Soil Samples Sample 24

Sample 25 Sample 25
 Fig.1:3.Cadmium concentration in soil samples of depth
(0-15cm) and (15-30cm)
(25-peoples colony,1 D-type colony.0.2-3r)(4,10-0.1-12nr)
Cadmium contents of soil samples (0-15 cm) Cadmium contents of soil samples (15-30 cm)

3.5 Sample 1 1.4 Sample 1

Sample 2 Sample 2
Sample 3 Sample 3
Sample 4 Sample 4
3 1.2
Sample 5 Sample 5
Sample 6 Sample 6
Sample 7 Sample 7
2.5 1
Samle 8 Samle 8
Sample 9 Sample 9
Cd Concentration (ppm)

Cd Concentration (ppm)
Sample 10 Sample 10
2 Sample 11 0.8 Sample 11
Sample 12 Sample 12
Sample 13 Sample 13
1.5 Sample 14 0.6 Sample 14
Sample 15 Sample 15
Sample 16 Sample 16
Sample 17 Sample 17
1 0.4
Sample 18 Sample 18
Sample 19 Sample 19
Sample 20 Sample 20
0.5 0.2
Sample 21 Sample 21
Sample 22 Sample 22
Sample 23 Sample 23
0 Sample 24 0 Sample 24
Soil Samples Sample 25 Soil Samples Sample 25
 Plant Analysis
Reagents:
 Concentrated Nitric acid
 Concentrated sulfuric acid
 Perchloric acid
Preparation of Triacid Mixture:
 Triacid mixture is prepared by dissolving concentrated sulfuric acid,
concentrated nitric acid and Perchloric acid in the ratio of 1:5:2
Procedure:
 Take 0.5 g of powdered plant sample in 50 ml conical flask.
 Add 10 ml of tri-acid mixture in each flask and put them on the hot plate
for digestion un till whitish color
 Then filter plant digest with Whatman 42 in 100 ml volumetric flask and
make volume up to the mark.
CALCULATION:
For Pb, Cd and Ni (ppm)=(ppm in extract-blank) x A/WT
Fig: 1.4: Concentration of lead in vegetable leaf and vegetable
fruit samples irrigated with sewage water
(22-Rabani colony,17-sitara colony.5-15nr) (22,15-5-13nr)
 Fig: 1.5: Concentration of nickle in vegetable leaf and
vegetable fruit samples irrigated with sewage water
(3-Nawabanwala,25-Neomana.10-36nr) (22,13-9-32nr)
Sample 1 Sample 1
Concentration of nickle in vegtable leaf samples Concentration of nickle in vegetable fruit samples
Sample 2 Sample 2
Sample 3 Sample 3
40 Sample 4 35 Sample 4
Sample 5 Sample 5
35 Sample 6 Sample 6
30
Sample 7 Sample 7
Sample 8 Sample 8
30
Concentration of Ni (ppm)

Concentration of Ni (ppm)
Sample 9 Sample 9
25
Sample 10 Sample 10
25 Sample 11 Sample 11
Sample 12 20 Sample 12
Sample 13 Sample 13
20
Sample 14 Sample 14
Sample 15 15 Sample 15
15 Sample 16 Sample 16
Sample 17 Sample 17
10
10 Sample 18 Sample 18
Sample 19 Sample 19
Sample 20 5 Sample 20
5 Sample 21
Sample 21
Sample 22 Sample 22
0 Sample 23 0 Sample 23

Vegtable Leaf Samples Sample 24 Vegetable Fruit Samples Sample 24

Sample 25 Sample 25
 Fig:1.6 Concentration of cadmium in vegetable leaf and
vegetable fruit samples irrigated with sewage water
(10-Sitara colony,17-peoples colony0.9-3nr)(10,15-0.3-2.1nr)

Cadmium contents of leaf samples Cadmium contents of vegetable fruit samples

3.5 Sample 1 2.5 Sample 1

Sample 2 Sample 2
Sample 3 Sample 3
Sample 4 Sample 4
3
Sample 5 Sample 5
Sample 6 2 Sample 6
Sample 7 Sample 7
2.5 Samle 8 Samle 8
Sample 9 Sample 9

Cd Concentration (ppm)
Cd Concentration (ppm)

Sample 10 1.5 Sample 10

2 Sample 11 Sample 11
Sample 12 Sample 12
Sample 13 Sample 13
1.5 Sample 14 Sample 14
Sample 15 1 Sample 15
Sample 16 Sample 16
Sample 17 Sample 17
1
Sample 18 Sample 18
Sample 19 Sample 19
0.5
Sample 20 Sample 20
0.5 Sample 21 Sample 21
Sample 22 Sample 22
Sample 23 Sample 23
0 Sample 24 0 Sample 24
Vegetable leaf samples Sample 25 vegetable fruit samples Sample 25
Table 1.1: Critical levels of different metals in soils with
respect to human health

Metal Ion Availabe(mg/kg)DTPA-

extractable
Cd 3
Cu 140
Fe -
Mn -
Ni 75
Zn 300
Pb 300
 Table 1.2: Critical levels of metals in edible portion of
vegetables (mg/kg) for human health (Dry weight basis)

Metal Ion Concentration (mg/kg) Source

Cd 0.01 WHO,1996
Cr 1.30 -
Cu 10.0 -
Fe 150 -
Mn 6.61 -
Ni 10.0 -
Zn 5.00 -
Pb 2.00 Asaolu,1995