Assessment of Some Major and Heavy Metal Contents in Green Pepper (Capsicum Annuum) and Beetroot (Beta Vulgaris) Grown in the Vicinity of the Industrial Area of Ejersa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Treated waste water were used for irrigation purpose in the vicinity of industrial area of Ethiopia Tannery. The vegetables, beetroot (beta vulgaris) and green pepper (capsicum annum) growing in the area of the Ethiopia Tannery were tested for its heavy metal contents. For this purpose three samples of waste water from different sites along the channel of the tannery were collected and analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS). Similarly soil and vegetables were brought from the same area and analyzed to assess their heavy metal contamination. The concentration of heavy metal in vegetables were found that Cu 8.5 mg/Kg in beetroot and 9.5 mg/Kg in green pepper, Cd 0.96 mg/Kg in beetroot and 1.2 mg/Kg in green pepper, Zn 132.4 mg/Kg in beetroot and 100.9 mg/Kg in green pepper, Ca 3739.7 mg/Kg in beetroot and 99 mg/Kg in green pepper and Mg 6262.7 mg/Kg in beetroot and 399 mg/Kg in green pepper. It was found that Cu 0.019-0.027, Cd 0.018-0.023, Cr 3.33-7.95, Zn 0.17-0.29 mg/L and Pb below detection limit of the instrumentation in various treated waste water samples. The results are also compared with the levels of metals in the data from literature. The cadmium content obtained in vegetables showed that the level is higher than the FAO/WHO limits.

Keywords: vegetables, Waste water, Heavy metals, Flame atomic absorption Spectrophotometry