Carpet industry irrigational sources risk assessment: Heavy metal contaminated vegetables and cereal crops in northern India.

Wastewater is often discharged to natural water bodies through an open channel as well as used by marginal farmers to irrigate the agricultural fields, particularly in sub-urban areas of developing countries. In the present study, the samples of irrigation water, soil, vegetables (i.e., palak; Beta vulgaris L. var All green H1, radish; Raphanus sativus L., garlic; Allium sativum L., cabbage; Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata, brinjal; Solanum melongena L.) and crops (i.e., paddy; Oryza sativa L. and wheat; Triticum aestivum L.) were collected from the agricultural areas receiving untreated wastewater from a carpet industrial and residential areas since a decade. The contents of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn in the filtrates of water, soil, and crops were determined using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Perkin-Elmer AAnalyst 800, USA). Daily intake, hazardous quotient and heavy metal pollution index were computed to assess the health risk associated with consumption of heavy metal contaminated crops. The mean concentrations of Cd and Zn in B. vulgaris (5.35 µg g-1 dw and 58.41 µg g-1 dw, respectively) and Cr, Cu, and Ni in grains of T. aestivum (16.02 µg g-1 dw, 27.97 µg g-1 dw and 40.74 µg g-1 dw, respectively) were found highest and had exceeded the Indian safety limit. Daily intake of Cu, Ni, and Cr via consumption of tested cereal crops was found higher than the vegetables. The health quotient revealed that health of local residents is more linked to vegetables than cereal crops. The present findings may be helpful to the policymakers and regulatory authorities to modify the existing policy of wastewater uses in the agriculture and disposal to the natural water bodies. The regular monitoring of heavy metals in the wastewater should also be ensured by the regulatory authorities for their safe disposal to natural water bodies/agriculture in order to reduce the human health risk associated with the degree of heavy metal contaminated suburban food systems.

Antioxidant properties, phenolics and flavonoids content of some economically important plants from North-west Indian Himalaya.

The present study investigated antioxidant properties, total phenolic and flavonoid contents in methanol extract of the leaf, stem bark, and fruit of Olea ferruginea Royle, Olea europaea L., and Tilia europaea L. grow naturally in the north-west Indian Himalaya. Phenolics and flavonoids content was found to be maximum in methanol extracts of stem bark and leaf (9.28 mg GAE/g fw and 14.73 mg QE/g fw, respectively) of O. ferruginea plants. Ferric reducing antioxidant power and DPPH radical scavenging activity were found to be maximum in leaf and stem bark (38.88 mM AAE/g fw and 20.31 mM AAE/g fw, respectively) of O. ferrugenia plants, whereas maximum ABTS radical scavenging activity (4.52 mM AAE/g fw) was recorded with stem bark of T. europaea plants. These tree species were found rich in natural compounds and also possess antioxidant activities. Therefore, their pharmaceutical and local uses for the health benefits are suggested.

Health risk assessment of heavy metals via dietary intake of foodstuffs from the wastewater irrigated site of a dry tropical area of India.

The present study was conducted to assess the risk to human health by heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni and Cr) through the intake of locally grown vegetables, cereal crops and milk from wastewater irrigated site. Milk is not directly contaminated due to wastewater irrigation, but is an important route of food chain transfer of heavy metals from grass to animals. Heavy metal concentrations were several fold higher in all the collected samples from wastewater irrigated site compared to clean water irrigated ones. Cd, Pb and Ni concentrations were above the 'safe' limits of Indian and WHO/FAO standards in all the vegetables and cereals, but within the permissible limits in milk samples. The higher values of metal pollution index and health risk index indicated heavy metal contamination in the wastewater irrigated site that presented a significant threat of negative impact on human health. Rice and wheat grains contained less heavy metals as compared to the vegetables, but health risk was greater due to higher contribution of cereals in the diet. The study suggests that wastewater irrigation led to accumulation of heavy metals in food stuff causing potential health risks to consumers.