ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METAL AND METALLOID LEVELS IN SPINACH (SPINACIA OLERACEA L.) GROWN IN WASTEWATER IRRIGATED AGRICULTURAL SOIL OF SARGODHA, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Heavy metal-induced pollution causes an adverse effect on the agricultural production system. In the present study we studied the pattern of accumulation of different metals in spinach (Spinacia oleracea) irrigated with wastewater. Considerably elevated concentrations of metals were observed in the wastewater irrigated soil and vegetable. For example, the levels Mo, Cd and Pb in the vegetable exceeded the permissible limit suggested by the World Health Organization. A significant and positive correlation was observed between the soil and vegetable in terms of levels of different metals. Transfer coefficients for Cr, Zn and Cu were above 0.5 which indicated high level of metal contamination mainly due to anthropogenic activities in the study site. The pollution load index was also considerably high for the spinach plants growing on the metal contaminated soil suggesting that proper management of the study area is required to protect all vegetables being grown therein from the accumulation of high levels of different metals examined in the present study.