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Table 3 Concentration of heavy metals in leafy vegetables

From: Heavy Metals in Commonly Consumed Root and Leafy Vegetables in Dhaka City, Bangladesh, and Assessment of Associated Public Health Risks

Heavy metals

Leafy vegetables

1st phase (mg/kg dw)

2nd phase (mg/kg dw)

3rd phase (mg/kg dw)

4th phase (mg/kg dw)

Range (mg/kg dw)

Mean (mg/kg dw)

Maximum permissible limit (MPL) (mg/kg dw)

Chromium (Cr)

Mustard

7.70

2.70

5.50

2.90

2.70–7.70

4.70 a

2.30 (FAO/WHO 2011)

Cabbage

1.70

0.00

1.30

2.40

0.00–2.40

1.35 a

Spinach

1.40

2.50

1.70

3.30

1.40–3.30

2.23 a

Coriander

1.50

2.50

5.00

6.50

1.50–6.50

3.88 a

Mint

2.60

1.40

16.70

4.00

1.40–16.70

6.18 a

Cadmium (Cd)

Mustard

0.40

0.40

0.00

0.00

0.00–0.40

0.20 a

0.20 (FAO/WHO 2001)

Cabbage

0.00

0.40

0.00

0.00

0.00–0.40

0.10 a

Spinach

0.90

0.60

0.50

0.00

0.00–0.90

0.50 a

Coriander

0.60

1.80

1.00

1.10

0.60–1.80

1.13 b

Mint

0.50

0.30

0.00

0.00

0.00–0.50

0.20 a

Lead (Pb)

Mustard

0.00

5.00

0.00

1.80

0.00–5.00

1.70 a

0.30 (FAO/WHO 2011)

Cabbage

0.00

0.00

3.00

0.00

0.00–3.00

0.75 a

Spinach

0.00

2.00

0.68

0.00

0.002.00

0.67 a

Coriander

0.00

3.00

5.00

0.00

0.00–5.00

2.00 a

Mint

0.00

2.00

6.00

1.00

0.00–6.00

2.25 a

Nickel (Ni)

Mustard

1.70

1.50

6.50

3.20

1.70–6.50

3.23 b

2.70 (FAO/WHO 2011)

Cabbage

0.00

0.00

2.70

0.00

0.00–2.70

0.68 ab

Spinach

1.70

0.00

0.30

0.90

0.00–1.70

0.73 a

Coriander

1.70

2.50

3.50

4.50

1.70–4.50

3.05 b

Mint

0.50

0.00

3.70

1.60

0.00–3.70

1.45 ab

Copper (Cu)

Mustard

5.70

5.30

44.30

17.90

5.30–44.3

18.30 a

10 (FAO/WHO 2011)

Cabbage

1.50

3.10

8.40

4.30

1.50–8.40

4.30 a

Spinach

11.40

14.40

10.10

4.00

4.00–14.40

9.98 a

Coriander

17.40

8.70

16.90

15.00

8.70–17.40

14.50 a

Mint

16.50

10.40

11.70

12.20

10.4–16.5

12.70 a

Zinc (Zn)

Mustard

43.57

49.27

125.78

72.59

43.57–125.78

72.80 a

50 (FAO/WHO 2011)

Cabbage

21.06

19.63

51.27

12.25

12.25–51.27

26.05 a

Spinach

233.82

125.38

184.99

197.80

125.38–233.82

185.50 b

Coriander

32.57

228.33

71.14

68.97

32.57–228.33

100.25 a

Mint

35.56

46.00

57.92

78.85

35.56–78.85

54.58 a

Iron (Fe)

Mustard

295.40

916.70

1450.10

880.40

295.40–1450.10

885.65 b

450 (FAO/WHO 2007)

Cabbage

66.90

67.00

63.70

103.30

63.70–103.30

75.23 a

Spinach

177.10

920.90

625.40

787.20

177.10–920.90

627.65 ab

Coriander

535.20

615.90

1588.70

2365.70

535.20–2365.70

1276.38 b

Mint

920.90

619.80

1198.10

463.60

463.60–1198.10

800.60 ab

Manganese (Mn)

Mustard

51

35.8

389.3

157.9

35.8–389.3

158.50 a

500 (FAO/WHO 2007)

Cabbage

13.7

16.3

43.5

23.5

13.7–43.5

24.25 a

Spinach

177.9

33.4

130.4

194.9

33.4–194.9

134.15 a

Coriander

36.5

324.6

89.1

143.1

36.5–324.6

148.33 a

Mint

66.2

58.7

201.8

127.1

58.7–201.8

113.45 a

  1. *DMRT analysis has been performed separately for each heavy metal. Mean values with the same letter(s) in a column of an individual heavy metal state no significant difference from each other at a 5% level by DMRT. The values in bold exceeded the maximum permissible limit set by the FAO/WHO