Abstract：Objective To understand the pollution status and enrichment characteristics of heavy metals in local-produced vegetables in Wuhu City, and to evaluate the health risk of heavy metal intake due to vegetables. Methods One hundred and ninety-three local-produced vegetable samples and 59 soil samples were collected in 2021, and the contents of lead, cadmium, arsenic, chromium and mercury were detected. The pollution status of each heavy metal in different vegetables was evaluated by pollution index and enrichment coefficient method, and the health risk was assessed by WS/T 777-2021, Technical Guidelines for Environmental Health Risk Assessment of Chemical Substances. Results The over standard rates of lead and cadmium in vegetables were 4.7% (9/193) and 6.2% (12/193) respectively, whereas arsenic, chromium and mercury were all qualified. The contents of the five metals were ND-1.150 mg/kg, ND-0.221 mg/kg, ND-0.055 mg/kg, ND-0.226 mg/kg and ND-0.004 mg/kg respectively. The single factor risk indexes of the five heavy metals ranged from 0.004 to 0.800, among which the pollution levels of cadmium in bulbs and lead in roots and tubers were the highest, and reached the warning level. The comprehensive pollution indexes ranged from 0.169 to 0.704, and the stem vegetables reached the warning level. The health risks of the heavy metals through daily oral intake of vegetables in residents were all at acceptable levels except arsenic in a small number of leafy vegetables and bulb vegetables, which had a certain degree of carcinogenic risk. A few vegetable samples had a slight non-carcinogenic risk. Conclusion The local-produced vegetables in Wuhu City are generally less polluted by the heavy metals, but a few samples have certain health risks. It is necessary to intensify the management and control of pollution sources.
2023, Vol. 30 
