Human health risk from cabbage and soil contaminated with heavy metals / Khazrul Elzey Wakimin

Cabbage that grown in contaminated soil had the possibility of accumulating heavy metal. It became great concern to human health because heavy metal can be introduced by plant through human food chain. The study was conducted in agricultural area at Menteki, Kundasang Ranau, Sabah. There is 40 sample of cabbage and 40 sample of soil taken in four different locations for an analysis. Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (GFAAS) was used to analyze the sample using acid digestion method. SPSS version 20.0 was used for the statistical analysis. The study showed that there is an accumulation of Lead, Cadmium, Zinc and Copper in soil. Copper showed the highest concentration among the heavy metal which was located at the location A with 84.1 mg/kg. Besides, there was also an accumulation of heavy metal in cabbage except for Cadmium. However the maximum value of the heavy metal lead, copper, zinc which 0.2 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg and 43.5 mg/kg respectively not exceeding the standard limit by Malaysian Food Act (1983) and Food Regulation (1985) and WHO. There was significant difference between heavy metal in cabbage and soil between old and new farm with the p-value<0.05, p=0.001 except for the Cadmium because there was no Cd detected in cabbage. There was significant correlation different of copper and zinc between soil and cabbage at the p-value<0.01, p=0.001. Whereas no significant correlation (p-value>0.01) for lead and cadmium between soil and cabbage. Study show that there is no health risk associated with all heavy metal that accumulated in cabbage with the THQ and m less than 1. Thus, the cabbage in the study area was safe to be consumed