Mercury pollution in vegetables, grains and soils from areas surrounding coal-fired power plants.

ABSTRACT: Mercury contamination in food can pose serious health risks to consumers and coal-fired power plants have been identified as the major source of mercury emissions. To assess the current state of mercury pollution in food crops grown near coal-fired power plants, we measured the total mercury concentration in vegetables and grain crops collected from farms located near two coal-fired power plants. We found that 79% of vegetable samples and 67% of grain samples exceeded the PTWI's food safety standards. The mercury concentrations of soil samples were negatively correlated with distances from the studied coal-fired power plants, and the mercury contents in lettuce, amaranth, water spinach, cowpea and rice samples were correlated with the mercury contents in soil samples, respectively. Also, t

SUBMITTER: Li R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5422849 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature