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Assessment of potentially toxic trace element contamination in urban allotment soils and their uptake by onions: A preliminary case study from Sheffield, England

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Assessment of potentially toxic trace element contamination in urban allotment soils and their uptake by onions: A preliminary case study from Sheffield, England. / Weber, Annika M.; Mawodza, Tinashe; Sarkar, Binoy et al.
In: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, Vol. 170, 15.04.2019, p. 156-165.

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Weber AM, Mawodza T, Sarkar B, Menon M. Assessment of potentially toxic trace element contamination in urban allotment soils and their uptake by onions: A preliminary case study from Sheffield, England. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 2019 Apr 15;170:156-165. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.11.090

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Weber, Annika M. ; Mawodza, Tinashe ; Sarkar, Binoy et al. / Assessment of potentially toxic trace element contamination in urban allotment soils and their uptake by onions : A preliminary case study from Sheffield, England. In: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 2019 ; Vol. 170. pp. 156-165.

Bibtex

@article{c9cc49ef6468443bb21edec64108c3c3,
title = "Assessment of potentially toxic trace element contamination in urban allotment soils and their uptake by onions: A preliminary case study from Sheffield, England",
abstract = "Toxic trace element (TTE) contamination in urban soils may pose potential health risks, especially in cities with previous industrial activities. This study aimed to investigate soil contamination in urban allotments in Sheffield, the uptake of TTEs in autumn and spring sown onions (Allium cepa), and their potential risks on human health via consumption of the crops. Paired soil and plant samples were taken in triplicates from four private allotments to assess potentially elevated levels of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr). These elements in soils exceeded the ambient background levels for England. Both Pb and As exceeded some UK and EU soil tolerable limits. Concentration factors (CF) were calculated as the ratio of trace element in the plant as compared to that in the soil, and uptake rates were in the order Zn>Cu>Cr>Pb>As. Concentrations were higher for most TTEs in spring sown onions (SSO), and had significantly higher CF (p < 0.05) for Pb and Cr than autumn sown onions (ASO), whereas the opposite was true for As. Toxic elements in plants did not exceed FAO/WHO intake limits when considering TTE content per plant and consumption rates. Human health risk assessment calculations using target hazard quotients (THQ) and hazard indexes (HI) indicated that consuming onions alone did not pose an immediate health risk.",
keywords = "Allotment soils, Health risk assessment, Plant uptake, Toxic trace elements, Urban agriculture",
author = "Weber, {Annika M.} and Tinashe Mawodza and Binoy Sarkar and Manoj Menon",
year = "2019",
month = apr,
day = "15",
doi = "10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.11.090",
language = "English",
volume = "170",
pages = "156--165",
journal = "Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety",
issn = "0147-6513",
publisher = "Academic Press Inc.",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Assessment of potentially toxic trace element contamination in urban allotment soils and their uptake by onions

T2 - A preliminary case study from Sheffield, England

AU - Weber, Annika M.

AU - Mawodza, Tinashe

AU - Sarkar, Binoy

AU - Menon, Manoj

PY - 2019/4/15

Y1 - 2019/4/15

N2 - Toxic trace element (TTE) contamination in urban soils may pose potential health risks, especially in cities with previous industrial activities. This study aimed to investigate soil contamination in urban allotments in Sheffield, the uptake of TTEs in autumn and spring sown onions (Allium cepa), and their potential risks on human health via consumption of the crops. Paired soil and plant samples were taken in triplicates from four private allotments to assess potentially elevated levels of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr). These elements in soils exceeded the ambient background levels for England. Both Pb and As exceeded some UK and EU soil tolerable limits. Concentration factors (CF) were calculated as the ratio of trace element in the plant as compared to that in the soil, and uptake rates were in the order Zn>Cu>Cr>Pb>As. Concentrations were higher for most TTEs in spring sown onions (SSO), and had significantly higher CF (p < 0.05) for Pb and Cr than autumn sown onions (ASO), whereas the opposite was true for As. Toxic elements in plants did not exceed FAO/WHO intake limits when considering TTE content per plant and consumption rates. Human health risk assessment calculations using target hazard quotients (THQ) and hazard indexes (HI) indicated that consuming onions alone did not pose an immediate health risk.

AB - Toxic trace element (TTE) contamination in urban soils may pose potential health risks, especially in cities with previous industrial activities. This study aimed to investigate soil contamination in urban allotments in Sheffield, the uptake of TTEs in autumn and spring sown onions (Allium cepa), and their potential risks on human health via consumption of the crops. Paired soil and plant samples were taken in triplicates from four private allotments to assess potentially elevated levels of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr). These elements in soils exceeded the ambient background levels for England. Both Pb and As exceeded some UK and EU soil tolerable limits. Concentration factors (CF) were calculated as the ratio of trace element in the plant as compared to that in the soil, and uptake rates were in the order Zn>Cu>Cr>Pb>As. Concentrations were higher for most TTEs in spring sown onions (SSO), and had significantly higher CF (p < 0.05) for Pb and Cr than autumn sown onions (ASO), whereas the opposite was true for As. Toxic elements in plants did not exceed FAO/WHO intake limits when considering TTE content per plant and consumption rates. Human health risk assessment calculations using target hazard quotients (THQ) and hazard indexes (HI) indicated that consuming onions alone did not pose an immediate health risk.

KW - Allotment soils

KW - Health risk assessment

KW - Plant uptake

KW - Toxic trace elements

KW - Urban agriculture

U2 - 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.11.090

DO - 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.11.090

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 30529614

AN - SCOPUS:85057862786

VL - 170

SP - 156

EP - 165

JO - Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

JF - Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

SN - 0147-6513

ER -