Review Article

Pollution Status of Pakistan: A Retrospective Review on Heavy Metal Contamination of Water, Soil, and Vegetables

Table 3

Heavy metal contamination in vegetables.

Sample type and location (vegetables)Zn (mg/kg) range (mean)Cu (mg/kg) range (mean)Fe (mg/kg) range (mean)Mn (mg/kg) range and (mean)Cd (mg/kg) range (mean)Cr (mg/kg) range (mean)Ni (mg/kg) range (mean)Pb (mg/kg) range (mean)As (mg/kg) range (mean)Ref.

1EU0.05–0.20.1–0.3[90]

2Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
Irrigated by sewage water(26.169) (28.56) (500) (104.10) (3.20) (3.93) (28.0) (10.43)
Irrigated by sewage + tube well water(16.38) (26.66) (430) (73.26) (0.35) (2.14) (7.1) (4.10)
Irrigated by tube well water(7.71) (8.30) (24.57) (15.30) (0.005) (0.004) (0.13) (0.16) [23]
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)
Irrigated by sewage water(20.05) (22.91) (353.8)(104.10) (2.60) (3.09)(20.8) (9.35)
Irrigated by sewage + tube well water(11.53) (20.45) (300.12) (73.26) (0.36) (1.77) (6.03) (2.13)
Irrigated by tube well water(4.26) (6.32) (16.221) (15.30)(0.003) (0.004) (0.11) (0.18)

3Withania somnifera collected from different locations of KPK province






[91]
Root0.26–0.32 10.9–13.5 1.67–3.5 0.03–0.07 0.05–0.08 0.06–0.16
Stems0.36–0.38 7.28–12.9 1.52–2.42 0.01–0.06 0.02–0.05 0.02–0.04 0.04–0.46
Leaves0.28–0.40 14.6–19.74 1.52–6.27 0.020.06–0.10 0.05–0.17 0.10–0.23

4Gilgit, Northern Pakistan ( = 5)
M. sylvestris (247) (20) (0.24) (10) (20) [73]
B. campestris (271) (17) (0.62) (04) (17)
S. oleracea (40) (11) (2.10) (07) (18)
M. sylvestris (78) (28) (0.67) (20) (44)
C. intybus (240) (48) (0.81) (12) (42)
T. repens (50) (15) (0.86) (12) (18)
A. viridis (50) (17) (0.79) (11) (16)
P. oleracea (96) (09) (0.94) (10) (16)
B. oleracea (115) (17) (0.72) (24) (35)
L. sativa (54) (24) (0.84) (11) (15)
M. neglecta (07) (75) (1.55) (15) (10)

5Industrial area, Faisalabad, Punjab
Leaves[92]
Spinach (0.461) (0.923) (0.035) (0.217) (2.251)
Coriander(0.705) (0.653) (0.062) (0.369) (2.652)
Lettuce(0.743) (0.851) (0.049) (0.434) (2.411)
Radish(1.893) (0.273) (0.033) (0.288) (2.035)
Cabbage(0.777) (0.252) (0.073) (0.336) (1.921)
Cauliflower(0.678) (0.323) (0.064) (0.546) (1.331)
Stem
Spinach (0.361) (0.529) (0.061) (0.492) (1.193)
Coriander(0.874) (0.855) (0.026) (0.376) (1.642)
Lettuce(0.498) (0.751) (0.015) (0.495) (1.883)
Radish(0.813) (0.346) (0.017) (0.386) (2.161)
Cabbage(0.539) (0.161) (0.023) (0.426) (1.624)
Cauliflower(0.456) (0.207) (0.025) (0.386)(1.313)
Roots
Spinach (0.781) (0.391) (0.052) (0.511) (1.121)
Coriander(0.745) (0.931) (0.026) (0.502) (1.531)
Lettuce (1.637) (0.352) (0.015) (0.511) (1.854)
Radish(0.813) (0.462) (0.051) (0.489) (2.254)
Cabbage(0.442) (0.361) (0.013) (0.543) (1.152)
Cauliflower(0.564) (0.221) (0.011) (0.338) (1.222)

6South East part of Sindh
Irrigated with lake water
Bitter gourd (0.811)[70]
Brinjal(0.570)
Carrot(0.135)
Coriander(0.985)
Okra(0.894)
Onion(0.048)
Potatoes(0.256)
Sponge gourd(0.504)
Spinach(0.90)
Peppermint(1.20)
Irrigated with canal water
Bitter gourd (0.275)
Brinjal(0.350)
Carrot(0.058)
Coriander(0.185)
Okra(0.324)
Onion(0.018)
Potatoes(0.0565)
Sponge gourd(0.187)
Spinach(0.187)
Peppermint(0.450)





7
Sindh, Pakistan () [93]
Leafy vegetables (coriander, methi, spinach, and mint)(0.083)
(0.050)
(0.042)
Tuberous vegetables (arum, onion, potato, radish, sugar beet, turnip)(0.057)
(0.03)
(0.045)
Cucurbit vegetables (bitter ground, cucumber, Indian squash, pumpkin)(0.021)
(0.051)
(0.056)
Fruity vegetables (brinjal, cabbage, cauliflower, chilies, French bean, okra, tomato)(0.035)(0.067)(0.054)

8Vegetables from Faiz Ganj, Punjab[94]
Okra (0.20)
Sponge gourd(0.360)
Brinjal(0.170)
Bittle gourd(0.275)
Bottle gourd(0.390)
Cluster beans(0.603)
Spinach(0.280)
Peppermint(1.01)
Indian squash(0.804)
Peas(0.630)
Vegetables from Thari Mirwah
Okra(0.80)
Sponge gourd(0.504)
Brinjal(0.390)
Bittle gourd(0.811)
Bottle gourd(1.05)
Cluster beans(0.734)
Spinach(0.90)
Peppermint(1.20)
Indian squash(1.30)
Peas(0.910)
Vegetables from Gambat
Okra(0.890)
Sponge Gourd(0.612)
Brinjal(0.570)
Bittle Gourd(1.11)
Bottle Gourd(1.25)
Cluster beans(1.30)
Spinach(1.10)
Peppermint(1.70)
Indian squash(1.63)
Peas(1.03)

9Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) collected from three different localities of Quetta, Balochistan48.5–94.37 (76.457) 21.38–32.46 (26.11) 2.49–7.45 (5.63) 0.76–3.59 (3.08) 1.85–8.58 (5.94) [95]

10Local and important vegetable[96]
Onion(37.6)(4.8)(47.4)(8.24)(0.6)(1.13)(0.89)(3.04)
Potato(37.66)(6.7)(44.3)(5.27)(0.66)(2.1)(0.59)(2.2)

11Vegetables irrigated with sewage water, Peshawar, KPK

0.4–56
(30.78)

[78]
Leaves of 40 different vegetables(12.37)(3.74)0.4–67.8(15.58)
Edible portion of 40 different vegetables(27.67)(7.56)(30.14)(27.49)

12Vegetables collected from local market of Shorkot, Sindh0.245–3.8730.109–0.4013.45–41.280.220–3.3340.002–0.6270.211–1.2980.117–1.1900.046–1.159[97]









13
Vegetables irrigated with waste water, Lahore, Punjab






[63]
Potato10.35–42.8 (21.77)1.09–6.12
(4.16)
10.43–30.91
(17.77)
0.08–0.35
(0.21)
0.88–2.61
(1.60)
1.29–19.02
(6.04)
0.19–0.63
(0.49)
Cabbage21.98–53.91
(37.76)
1.63–7.8
(4.92)
9.29–30.2
(17.26)
0.17–0.36
(0.27)
2–4.019
(3.06)
0.96–14.67
(5.046)
1.88–4.23
(2.86)
Cauliflower20.98–55.91
(35.44)
2.1–6.09 (4.49)6.57–11.18 (9.06)0.18–0.31 (0.23)1.15–4.15 (2.15)0.76–8.91 (2.95)0.91–3.07 (1.66)
Brassica35.43–63.91
(47.10)
1.84–10.17 (5.42)57.84–81.01 (69.9)0.32–1.73 (1.08)1.37–4.87 (2.62)1.00–21.91 (6.43)1.12–4.03 (2.77)
Turnip21.17–35.25
(28.53)
2.87–6.5 (4.90)14.47–25.83 (19.5)0.20–0.67 (0.36)0.29–3.02 (1.44)1.02–32.51 (5.76)0.19–1.29 (0.77)
Spinach18.18–31.26
(25.86)
2.14–10.94
(5.77)
11.83–21.73
(16.58)
1.20–3.08
(1.90)
1.37–4.27
(2.42)
0.18–11.1
(3.65)
1.88–4.19
(2.9)
Beet34.73–60.26
(45.65)
1.9–6.49 (4.1)67.39–87.37 (76.26)019–0.23 (0.21)0.29–2.61 (1.31)1.1–31.03 (6.23)0.21–0.93 (0.64)
Garlic19.71–29.05
(24.64)
1.17–8.35 (4.70)16.84–27.09 (21)0.09–0.27 (0.19)3.18–5.01 (4.1)0.87–20.67 (9.85)0.71–0.31 (0.38)
Carrot14.04–25.95
(19.39)
1.9–9.51 (5.34)11.34–22.85 (17.45) 0.11–0.57 (0.29)0.98–3.01 (1.92)1.13–9.97 (5.33)1.01–1.97 (1.97)
Coriander33.83–48.26
(39.69)
1.57–4.94
(4.95)

(28)
0.13–0.61
(0.31)
1.23–4.37
(2.32)
1.09–15.57
(6.2)
1.64–2.53
(2.04)