Long term urban wastewater irrigation drives zinc bioaccumulation and health risks in contaminated vegetables.

ABSTRACT: Zinc (Zn) is a vital plant nutrient, and its judicious use is required for plant growth, development, and productivity. This study assessed the uptake of zinc in kitchen vegetables after being treated with wastewater (WW), canal water (CW), or tube well water (TW). Samples of water, soil and edible portions of selected vegetables (Spinacia oleracea, Brassica campestris, Coriandrum sativum, and Mentha spicata) were collected randomly from three ecological sites (Sargodha, Sahiwal, and Shahpur) in Punjab, Pakistan. The results revealed that the Zn concentrations in water (0.7757-1.4521 mgL^-1), soil (5.36-41.3 mgkg^-1 ) and vegetables (4.11-24.86 mgkg^-1) were statistically significantly different (p < 0.01) with increasing Zn concentration in the order: TW < CW

SUBMITTER: Akhtar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12219195 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature