Overview
Jurkovic et al. measured heavy metals and microbiological indicators in a soil-plant system after major flooding in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. The source is routeable to leafy vegetables because it reports chard tissue measurements, but it should remain jurisdiction- and event-specific because the sampling frame is a flooded-area case study. The paper found elevated lead (Pb) in soils and sludge, root-favoring Pb behavior in chard, and cases where chard cadmium (Cd) exceeded permissible amounts.
Key numbers
The study measured Cu, Zn, nickel (Ni), Co, Pb, Cd, Fe, chromium (Cr), and Mn by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. Soil and sludge samples were extracted with aqua regia for pseudo-total metals and EDTA for available metals. Chard samples were divided into roots, stems, and leaves.
In pseudo-total soil/sludge results, flooded-area Pb ranged from 98.8 to 277.6 mg/kg, with an average of 180.5 mg/kg. Control-area Pb ranged from 41.9 to 321.1 mg/kg, with an average of 118.7 mg/kg. Sludge Pb ranged from 97.7 to 242.5 mg/kg, with an average of 159.6 mg/kg.
Pseudo-total Cd was much lower than Pb: flooded-area Cd ranged from 0.1 to 0.5 mg/kg, with an average of 0.2 mg/kg; control-area Cd ranged from 0.1 to 0.5 mg/kg, with an average of 0.2 mg/kg; sludge Cd was 0.1 mg/kg for maximum, minimum, and average. The authors state that average Pb in investigated soils exceeded the 80 mg/kg maximum permissible amount they cite, while Cd, Cr, and Co were below cited maximum permissible values.
The authors report that EDTA-extractable heavy metals followed the sequence Pb > Mn > Fe > Cu > Zn > Ni > Co > Cr > Cd. They estimate average Pb extractability at 18.7% and Cu extractability at 46.53%, while Cd was not detectable by AAS in the EDTA extraction.
For chard tissue, Figures 7 through 9 show plant concentrations in mg/kg. Figure 9 compares available soil metal against average plant tissues and shows approximate average Pb near 38 mg/kg in leaves, 46 mg/kg in stems, and 41 mg/kg in roots. Figure 9 shows approximate average Cd near 0 mg/kg in leaves, 0 mg/kg in stems, and about 0.2 mg/kg in roots; the text states that Cd varied among chard tissues and that some chard cases had Cd above permissible amounts. The figure-derived plant values should be treated as approximate until a table-level extraction is available.
Methods (brief)
The study sampled soil, sludge, and chard from flooded and non-flooded control areas after autumn 2024 flooding. Soil and sludge were characterized for basic quality parameters, pseudo-total metals by aqua regia extraction, available metals by EDTA extraction, microbial counts, and carbon/nitrogen content. Chard roots, stems, and leaves were dried and analyzed for the same nine metals by FAAS.
Implications
Microbiome: The paper includes soil microbial measurements but does not assess human or product microbiome outcomes.
Related evidence
- Leafy / Green Vegetables, Other
- Non-Root Vegetables
- Leafy greens
- Leafy Vegetables
- Lead
- Cadmium
- Nickel
- Chromium
Update history
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