title: Accumulation and potential health risks of cadmium, lead and arsenic in vegetables grown near mining sites in Northern Vietnam.
abstract: The effect of environmental pollution on the safety of vegetable crops is a serious global public health issue. This study was conducted to assess heavy metal concentrations in soil, irrigation water, and 21 local vegetable species collected from four sites near mining activities and one control site in Northern Vietnam. Soils from vegetable fields in the mining areas were contaminated with cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As), while irrigation water was contaminated with Pb. Average concentrations of Pb and As in fresh vegetable samples collected at the four mining sites exceeded maximum levels (MLs) set by international food standards for Pb (70.6 % of vegetable samples) and As (44.1 % of vegetable samples), while average Cd concentrations in vegetables at all sites were below the MLs of 0.2. The average total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) across all vegetable species sampled was higher than the safety threshold of 1.0, indicating a health risk. Based on the weight of evidence, we find that cultivation of vegetables in the studied mining sites is an important risk contributor for local residents' health.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam. buianh7811@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Anh T K
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.affiliation: VNU University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Ha T H
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: VNU University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Minh N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Hanoi School of Public Health, Environmental Health, Hanoi,, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Tuyet-Hanh T
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: Thuyloi University, 175 Tay Son Street, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Toan V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Vu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Chuyen H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
authors.forename: Heather L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Reynolds
mesh_terms: D057914:Agricultural Irrigation; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008906:Mining; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D014744:Vietnam; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Health risk; Heavy metal; Mining site; Northern Vietnam; Vegetable