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Pak. J. Bot., 44(6): 1923-1931, 2012.

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IMPACT OF SEWAGE WATER ON VEGETABLES QUALITY WITH RESPECT TO HEAVY METALS IN PESHAWAR PAKISTAN

SAJIDA PERVEEN, ABDUS SAMAD, WAJAHAT NAZIF AND SADAQAT SHAH

Abstract: The present research study was conducted to analyze the impact of sewage water on vegetables quality with respect to heavy metals in Peshawar Pakistan. Forty samples each of soil, water and vegetables leaves and edible portions were collected from 40 different localities around Peshawar city. Water from Warsak Canal and Bara River, polluted with sewage or waste water, was being used as irrigation source in these localities. The water and soil samples were analyzed for pH, EC and heavy metals (Nickel, Cadmium, Lead and Chromium). All the water samples were slightly alkaline whereas only two water samples had EC above the safe limit. The concentrations of Cr was within the safe limit in all the water samples while that of Ni, Pb and Cd were found in toxic range in 18, 13 and 98% samples, respectively. All the sampled fields were alkaline in reaction and had no salinity problem. None of the soil samples had the heavy metals above the safe limit. The Ammonium Bicarbonate Di-ethylene Triamine Penta-acetic Acid (AB-DTPA) extractable Ni, Pb, Cd and Cr of soil had significant positive correlation with that of the irrigation water. Nickel, Pb and Cr were above the safe limit in 90, 10, 78 and 15% of the leaves samples, respectively. Heavy metals in leaves were in the order of Ni>Cd>Cr>Pb. The plant Cd had positive non-significant correlation with soil Cd whereas other heavy metals in leaves had significant positive correlation with the corresponding heavy metals in soil. The concentration of Ni, Pb, Cd and Cr in edible portions was above the safe limit in 90, 28, 83 and 63% of the samples, respectively. The heavy metals in edible portions were in the order of Ni>Cd>Cr>Pb. The vegetables tested were not safe for human use, especially those directly consumed by human beings.

Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan

Corresponding author’s e-mail: drsajidatareef@yahoo.com