Environmental surveillance of commonly-grown vegetables for investigating potential lead and chromium contamination intensification in Bangladesh.
With regard to previously reported Lead (Pb) and Chromium (Cr) contamination in egg, a semi-quantitative assessment of the general environment of Bangladesh is carried out through nation-wide sampling of commonly grown and consumed vegetables. Five vegetables, namely, White Potato (Solanum tuberosum), Green Cabbage (Brassica oleracea capitatavar.albaL.), Red Spinach (Amaranthus dubius), White Radish (Raphanus sativusvar.longipinnatus), and Green Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) were selected for sampling from all 64 Districts of the country as per their availability during the sampling season. This results in a collection of 292 samples. Due to the necessity of incorporating a wide spectrum of vegetable types (e.g. tuber, brassica, leafy, root, and fruiting vegetables) as well as the need for including the geographic expanse of the whole country, replicates were not accommodated in the study, hence, the study being semi-quantitative in nature. The results do not substantiate evidence of public health risk due to Cr yet, with only 0.69 % of the samples found contaminated with Cr. Pb contamination (concentrations above a health-based guidance value) is found in 29.47 % of the samples; and together with the insight of such contamination likely being non-point origin, communicates on potential public health risk due to Pb as residual effects of extensive ambient atmospheric Pb pollution in recent history of the country. For the purpose of comparison, Cadmium (Cd) contents of the samples are also analyzed. Although there is no extensive Cd pollution history/source in the country, the likely point-source nature of Cd contamination found in 17.83 % of the samples indicates the scope of managing any existing contamination source by directing efforts into the potential point-sources.
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000 Bangladesh ; School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000 Australia.
A M M Maruf
AM
Hossain
Analytical Research Division, BCSIR Laboratories, Dr. Qudrat-i-Khuda Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka, 1205 Bangladesh.
M Shahidul
MS
Islam
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000 Bangladesh.
M Mustafa
MM
Mamun
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000 Bangladesh.
H M
HM
Al-Jonaed
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000 Bangladesh.
M
M
Imran
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000 Bangladesh.
M Hasibur
MH
Rahman
Analytical Research Division, BCSIR Laboratories, Dr. Qudrat-i-Khuda Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka, 1205 Bangladesh.
M Azizul Islam
MA
Kazi
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000 Bangladesh.
Syed Fazle
SF
Elahi
Bangladesh; Cadmium; Chromium; Environmental public health assessment; Heavy Metal contamination; Lead; Semi-quantitative analysis; Vegetables