Mawari et al. 2022 — Heavy metals in fruits and vegetables, Maharashtra, India
This study measured concentrations of Pb, Cd, As, and Hg across 24 types of vegetables and fruits collected in Maharashtra, India, using ICP-MS (Agilent 7500). Native soil from the same farms was also analyzed. The mean concentrations across all 24 commodities were: Pb 0.17 ± 0.38 mg/kg > Hg 0.06 ± 0.09 mg/kg > Cd 0.02 ± 0.007 mg/kg > As 0.002 ± 0.003 mg/kg (all on fresh-weight basis). Garlic showed the highest heavy metal accumulation among the tested commodities, followed by potato. Soil concentrations exceeded background values for Pb at several sites, suggesting anthropogenic contamination is a contributing driver.
Key numbers
- n = 24 commodity types; analytical method: ICP-MS (Agilent 7500).
- Mean Pb across all commodities: 0.17 ± 0.38 mg/kg fw (range in garlic and potato notably higher).
- Mean tHg across all commodities: 0.06 ± 0.09 mg/kg fw.
- Mean Cd across all commodities: 0.02 ± 0.007 mg/kg fw.
- Mean tAs across all commodities: 0.002 ± 0.003 mg/kg fw.
- Commodity with highest accumulation: garlic, followed by potato.
- Soil Pb: elevated above background at multiple sampling sites.
- Basis: fresh weight (fw).
- Speciation: total metals only (no iAs vs tAs breakdown).
Methods (brief)
ICP-MS (Agilent 7500); acid digestion (HNO3/H2O2) of food and soil samples. Total metals reported throughout. No arsenic speciation; tAs value for food crops reflects total arsenic, which may include organic arsenicals. LOD/LOQ values not prominently stated in the available section. Sample selection: market and farm survey in Maharashtra; sample-per-commodity count not disaggregated.
Implications
Certification: Garlic and potato emerge as higher-accumulating commodities in this Indian dataset. Cd values (mean 0.02 mg/kg) are well below EU limits (0.05–0.2 mg/kg depending on matrix) but the high variance (±0.007) suggests outliers may exceed limits. Hg data are notable for a vegetable/fruit matrix where Hg is rarely the primary concern. Courses: Useful for illustrating multi-commodity surveillance methodology and how soil contamination co-drives produce contamination at farm level. App: Garlic and potato added to commodities with some Pb signal; Hg data for vegetables are unusual and merit independent verification.