Evaluation of pollution value of heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Pb, Ni) in surface waters, soil and the cultivated vegetable of Pishva town

Subject Areas : Water Pollution

H. Kabirifard ¹ , E. Sheikhi Nejad ² , M. Masoumi ³

1 - Faculty of Marine Science & Technology, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch
2 - Faculty of Chemistry, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch
3 - Faculty of Marine Science & Technology, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch

Received: 2012-02-01 Accepted : 2012-07-08 Published : 2012-12-20

Keywords: Heavy metals, Vegetables, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, chemical digestion, Pishva,

Abstract :

In the present study, the concentration of some heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Pb, Ni) were measured and defined in surface waters, soil and organs of some plants: spinach, radish, cress and mint, in the spring and summer of 1390 in the Pishva area (Varamin). Heavy metals were measured in vegetables’ root, stem, leaf and their intake through consumption by human. Samplings of vegetable in five different points were accomplished. The amount of iron, zinc, lead and nickel, after chemical digestion of samples, were determined, using spectrophotometer flame atomic absorption method by 372.0, 213.9, 217.0, and 232.0 nm wavelength respectively. Four examined heavy metals in water, soil and vegetables samples in two seasons determined as 448.34±37.55, 56.68±15.53, 11.50±2.79 and 134.2±6.21 mg/kg respectively. Metals in vegetables, water and soil samples in two seasons had normal distribution and confidence level of 95%. Comparing the results with international standards for them showed that they are in acceptable range for water and soil samples in two seasons but in case of vegetables except for Zn in cress and mint roots and leave of spinach in summer which are in the acceptable range, the rest vegetable samples had heavy metal concentrations more than international levels in two seasons.