TITLE:
Assessment of Heavy Metals and Microbial Pollution of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) Cultivated in Two Sites (Paspanga and Tanghin) of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
AUTHORS:
Marius Kounbèsiounè Somda, Saran Samake, Donatien Kabore, Mahamadi Nikiema, Iliassou Mogmenga, Yerobessor Dabire, Assietta Ouattara, Ibrahim Keita, Henriette B. Mihin, Agbémébia Yawovi Akakpo, Alfred S. Traore
KEYWORDS:
Heavy Metal, Microorganisms, Pollution, Lactuca sativa, Risk Assessment, Burkina Faso
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.10 No.3,
March
26,
2019
ABSTRACT: Environmental pollution can have detrimental effects
on crop yield and its consumers. The current study was designed to investigate
the potential human health risks associated with the consumption of lettuce
crop contaminated with toxic heavy metals and microbiological status. Irrigated
water, soil and lettuce were analyzed by AAS technics for heavy metals
including Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. Transfer factor (TF), daily intake of metals (DIM)
and health risk index (HRI) were also
calculated. Microbial analysis was carried out for the presence foodborne
pathogens. The results showed that the heavy metals contents were higher in the
soil than wastewater and the vegetables. Heavy metals ranged (mg·Kg-1)
for Cd (1.27 to 2.93), Cr (7.28 to 7.38), Cu (0.91 to 1.70), Mn (0.29 to 6.60),
Ni (1.74 to 2.16), Pb (1.32 to 1.69), Zn (3.08 to 3.79); and were higher than the WHO maximum limit
permissible (ML) in vegetables. HRI TF values designated an enhanced
bio-contamination. Microbial numeration revealed the presence of spoiler and
pathogenic microorganisms. The lettuce tested was not safe for human use,
especially for direct consumption by human beings.