Estimation of Heavy Metal in Vegetables From Different Market Sites of Tribal Based Ranchi City Through ICP-OES and to Assess Health Risk

Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used to estimate and evaluate the levels of heavy metals in vegetables collected from various sites of Ranchi city (tribal dominated population) followed by health risk assessment by determining Metal Pollution Index (MPI), Daily intake of metal (DIM) and Health Risk Index (HRI). The concentration levels of Pb, Cd and Ni in vegetables were found to contain beyond than the permissible PFA limit. All sites showed quite a few higher concentrations of Lead (Pb), than the permissible PFA limit. Among thirteen vegetables, Beet, Cucumber, Pea, Beans, Lady's finger, Corriender leaves and Tomato showed high levels of Pb in vegetables collected from all sites. Health Risk Index was also found > 1 for Cd, Co and Pb. Health Risk Index for Cadmium was 1.64 and 2.38 in Cucumber from Site-6 and Site-8 respectively. In Spinach it was 2.19 and 2.15 respectively for Site-6 and Site-8. Health Risk Index for Pb was > 1 in Cucumber (All sites; 3.54 in Site-8), Pea (All sites except Site10; 2.45 in Site-7), Beans (All sites; 1.38 in Site-9), Lady's finger (All sites; 2.03 in Site-7), and Tomato (All sites except Site-10; 2.79 in Site-8). Lead and cadmium were among the most abundant heavy metals in the selected vegetables. The excessive content of these heavy metals in food may causes number of diseases. HRI more than 1 is considered to be not safe for human health. In present study, HRI indicates considerable risk and negative impact on human health.