Heavy metal concentration in soils and selected tropical fruits and their potential health risks / Nor Asilah Azmi

Background information: Agricultural activities can contribute heavy metals contamination in soils and food crops through an application of fertilizers and pesticides. Consumers of food crops from the study area might expose to health risk through consumption of these food crops. The purpose of this study is to determine the
concentration of heavy metals in soils and selected tropical fruits at Bestari Jaya, to compare the concentration of heavy metals between selected tropical fruits, and to
evaluate the health risk among consumers of selected tropical fruits at Bestari Jaya. Methodology: Thirty samples of tropical fruits (mango, guava and starfruit) and five
samples of soil from corresponding tropical fruits plot were randomly selected for sampling and become were duplicated to make a total samples of 70. Heavy metals
like Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) were selected for heavy metals analysis by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) Perkin-Elmer
Model Analyst 900.Results: This study shows that there was a presence of heavy metal in soils and selected tropical fruits. There was significant difference between heavy
metals concentration in selected tropical fruits studied (p<0.05). Different concentration of heavy metals in these fruits might due to soil properties and also uptake mechanism by food crops. Zinc has the highest concentration and followed by copper and lead in tropical fruits. Cadmium was not detected in all soil and tropical
fruits samples. No health risk concern through consumption of selected tropical fruits since HI was below than one (HI<1). Conclusion: As a conclusion, continuous
monitoring should be done as heavy metals might accumulate in food crops overtime and remediation on contaminated soil by heavy metals should be practiced.