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Arsenic and Heavy Metal Concentrations in Surface Soils and Vegetables of Feni District in Bangladesh

R. A. Karim
Department of Physics, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh

S. M. Hossain
Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), G.P.O. Box No.-3787, Savar, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

M. M. H. Miah
Department of Physics, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh

K. Nehar
Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), G.P.O. Box No.-3787, Savar, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

M. S. H. Mubin
Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), G.P.O. Box No.-3787, Savar, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An investigation of various heavy metals including the arsenic (As) poisoning in soils and vegetables in five upazillas under Feni district of Bangladesh was performed by neutron activation technique using the neutron irradiation facilities of TRIGA MARK II research reactor at Bangladesh Atomic Energy Research Establishment (BAERE), Savar, Dhaka. A total of 30 samples (15 surface soils and 15 foodstuffs) were studied in five Upazillas namely as, Sonagazi, Dagan Bhuiya, Feni Sadar, Fulgazi and Parsuram of Feni district taking three samples of each kind from each upazilla. Samples of each kind together with the standard reference material (SRM) were irradiated in the same neutron flux and the γ-rays of nuclides from the irradiated samples were assessed and screened for As, Br, U, Th, Cr, Sc, Fe, Zn and Co in soils and As, Br, Na, K, Cr, Sc, Fe, Zn and Co in vegetables (i.e; eddoe, taro, green papaya, plantain, potato, callaloo, bottle ground and carambola). The measurement of γ-rays was carried out by means of a calibrated high resolution HPGe detector. The concentration of product nuclides containing in the irradiated samples was determined from the peak count-rates of prominent γ-lines for the corresponding nuclides. Among all contaminants, only As, Zn and Cr for both samples were focused because of their higher values compared with the local as well as the world typical values. The present results revealed that the mean levels of As in Parsuram, Feni Sadar and Pulgazi upazillas are higher than the world typical value of 2 mg/kg. The mean values of Zn and Cr for all upazillas are higher than the world typical values 32 and 27.9 mg/kg, respectively. For the case of vegetables, the mean concentration of As is found only in Eddoe (5.33 ppm) and Taro (1.46 ppm) collected from Sonagazi and Feni Sadar upazilla; which are higher than the values in Samta (0.1 ppm for eddoe and 0.44 ppm for taro) under Jessore district of Bangladesh. The mean concentrations of Zn and Cr in all kinds of vegetables are higher compared with the existing local values as well as the world typical values. The mean estimated daily dietary intake of As, Zn and Cr from vegetables are found to be 0.105, 12.47 and 3.53 mg respectively, which are higher than the recommended values of some countries. The consumption of toxic metals in vegetables is a risk for public health in the studied area.

Keywords: Neutron activation . High resolution detector. Arsenic concentration . Recommended values

Location: Feni district in Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Commodity: Arsenic, Heavy metal, Upland, Vegetables

Objectives:

The purpose of the present study is to determine the concentration of toxic metals in surface soils and foodstuffs in the area of interest to assess the risk of health from these foodstuffs by estimating the daily dietary intake exposure compared with other daily intakes recommended by the joint expert committee on the food additives (JECFA).

Methodology:

Sample collection and preparation The Feni district of Bangladesh consists of six upazillas (namely as Chagalnaiya, Daganbhuiyan, Feni Sadar, Parshuram, Sonagazi and Phulgazi). The district has an area of 928.34 km² in 45 union parishad, 540 mouzas and 570 villages with a population of 1,196,219. Samples to be studied were collected from all upazillas except the one (named, Chagalnaiya) and the reason for avoiding this has already been explained elsewhere (Mohiuddin 2004). A total number of 30 samples (15 surface soils and 15 foodstuffs) were collected in polyethylene bags by selecting randomly three different places in a village in each upazilla under the area of interest. Among 15 vegetable samples: eddoe – 2, taro – 4, potato – 1, carambola – 2, plantain – 1, green papaya – 3, callaloo – 1 and bottle-ground – 1, were undertaken for studies. Though the seasonal vegetables of same kind were not available in the same village and in this case, we took different kind of vegetables from the same locations at that time. Surface soil samples were weighted, cleaned and dried in an oven at 70°C and then re-weighted in order to determine the water contents present in the samples. The dried soil samples were gently ground and homogenized in an agate mortar and then packed into ultra clean bullet type 15 polyethylene irradiation vials containing weigh of approx. 0.155–0.18 gm for irradiation. For the case of vegetables, they were classified as: leafy (bottle ground, callaloo and taro), and non-leafy vegetables (potato, plantain, green papaya, eddoe and carambola). The classification with species of these vegetables was identified by a horticulturist as given in Table 1. They were collected by hand gloves and then washed with water and then cut into small pieces, rinsed with demineralized water and weighted separately. All kind of vegetables were then dried in open sunlight for 24 h and were allowed to dry in an oven at 70°C and again weighted to estimate the water contents on these. All vegetable samples were then made into powder separately with an agate mortar and packed the same number of vials as before taking the weight of each approx. 0.105–0.140 gm. The standard reference material (SRM) IAEA-SL-1 was taken into the same kind of ultra clean bullet type polyethylene irradiation vials of same diameter and same size and its weight was determined. Soil samples of 15 numbers together with the standard reference one were packed into two layers in such a way that the first layer consisted of six samples and the remaining nine of second layer and the reference sample in between the two. In order to monitor the neutron flux, foils of Al and Au were placed at the top, bottom and in the middle position of the stack pH determination The pH of soil samples was measured in unbuffered 0.025 M NH4NO3 solution, which characterizes the type of binding capacity of the cations better than pH determined in water suspension (Raisanen and Lahermo, unpublished report 1985). Irradiation of samples Filling the whole stack of soil samples into an irradiation tube, the same was irradiated for 30 min using the thermal neutron beam facility of TRIGA MARK-II research reactor with the neutron flux of ~1.52×1013 n/cm2 /s at AERE, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh.. The irradiation of vegetable samples was performed separately in the same way as before. An independent run of irradiation was also carried out without any samples for a period of 12 h and the background contribution for the same measurement time was subtracted in order to obtain the net count for a particular γ-ray energy point. After the end of irradiation, the tube was unloaded and all the irradiated samples were kept in a lead castle for a few hours as a waiting time to decay the shortlived nuclides. Afterwards the emitted γ-rays from the studied, reference and the monitor samples were counted by means of a high resolution HPGe detector (resolution at FWHM is 1.92 keV at 1,332.5 keV of 60Co) associated with other electronic accessories.

Source of Information: Environ Monit Assess (2008) 145:417–425

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI 10.1007/s10661-007-0050-3

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The investigation of contaminated metals in surface soils and tropical vegetables in five upazillas under Feni district of Bangladesh has been carried out and showed that some toxic metals (As, Zn and Cr) for both studied samples are higher than those reported values. The daily intake of these metals with vegetables is very harmful for the population health. In our work, we have chosen a few number of tropical vegetable items as a daily food menu. But in order to estimate the contaminated amount of metals accurately, it is necessary to take a large number of same vegetable items in each area. A further work can be undertaken by including meats, fishes, and other item of foodstuffs which are cultivated in irrigated land such as rice, wheat, cereals and spices with vegetables as daily food menu.

Knowledge Management: Journal