Human health risk assessment caused by nitrate in cucumbers, tomatoes and strawberries produced in Jiroft city

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Research Department of Soil Chemistry and Physics and Fertilizer Technology, Soil and Water Research Institute (SWRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran

2 Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, Iran

3 Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran

4 Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

Abstract

Indiscriminate use of nitrogen fertilizers causes the accumulation of nitrate in agricultural products, especially vegetables. The high concentration of nitrate in vegetables can threaten the health of society. The purpose of this study is to investigate the status of nitrate as one of the characteristics of product quality and to estimate the daily uptake and determine the hazard quotients (HQ) of the non-cancerous diseases. Sampling of soil and fruit from a greenhouse (cucumber and strawberry) and a field (cucumber and tomato) in Jiroft was done in 2019. Nitrate concentration was measured by the distillation method.The average concentration of nitrate in strawberries, tomatoes, greenhouse cucumbers and field cucumbers was 55.23, 16.86, 64.16 and 44.39 mg/kg of fresh weight, respectively which were less than the standard limit of nitrates based on the Russian and Iran national standards. The calculated daily uptake was lower than the permitted level (3.7 mg/kg BW). HQ in all products was less than 1, of which the lowest amount was found in strawberries for girls under 6 years old (0.00086) and the highest amount was found in greenhouse cucumbers for girls under 6 years old and for boys 7-14 years old (0.0615). Therefore, strawberry has the least and the greenhouse cucumber has the most health threat potential for the health of consumers. According to the risk index of less than 1 for all age groups, there is no possibility of encountering non-cancerous diseases caused by nitrates through the consumption of vegetables in Jiroft region.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Human health risk assessment caused by nitrate in cucumbers, tomatoes, and strawberries produced in Jiroft city

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Indiscriminate use of nitrogen fertilizers causes the nitrate accumulation in agricultural products, especially vegetables. The high concentration of nitrate in vegetables can threaten the health of society.

Purpose:

The purpose of this research is to investigate the nitrate status as one of the product quality characteristics and to estimate the nitrate daily uptake and to determine the hazard quotients (HQ) and calculating the probable risk of developing non-cancerous diseases arising from nitrate in cucumber, tomato and strawberry grown in Jiroft.

Research method:

Soil and fruit sampling from greenhouses (cucumber and strawberry) and fields (cucumbers and tomatoes) in Jiroft region was done during the harvest season (spring and late autumn, winter of 2019). After preparing the samples, nitrate concentration was measured by distillation method.

Results:

The findings of this research showed that the average concentration (mg/kg fresh weight) of nitrates in strawberries (55.23), tomatoes (16.86), greenhouse cucumbers (64.16), and field cucumbers (44.39) is less than the standard level, based on the Russian and the Iran national standard. The calculated daily uptake for all receptor groups in the present study was lower than the permitted level (3.7 mg/kg- body weight). Hazard Quotients in all products and for all receptor groups were less than 1, with the lowest amount in strawberries for girls under 6 years old (0.00086) and the highest amount in greenhouse cucumbers for girls under 6 years old and boys 7-14 years old (0.0615). Therefore, strawberry has the least and greenhouse cucumber has the most health threat potential for the health of consumers in the region.

Always there are some uncertainties in risk assessment studies. One source of uncertainties is the assumptions taken before starting the calculations. The assumptions in this study can be listed as below:

1-samples are good representatives for cucumbers, tomatoes, and strawberries produced in Jiroft region,

2-all cucumbers, tomatoes, and strawberries consumed by residents of Jiroft, grown in Jiroft city,

3-life length was assumed to be 70 years,

The other source of uncertainties in this research could be nitrate concentration in samples and information about body weight and food consumption rate of people in Jiroft. Errors in nitrate analysis in the laboratory and related uncertainties were reduced using laboratories quality control and checking the results with a reference laboratory. There is no specific value for body weight and food basket related to different cities or different age and sex groups, in Iran. Iranian food basket was published almost 10 years ago. Calculations in this research was done using Iranian food basket.

Conclusion:

According to the risk index of less than 1 for all age groups, there is no possibility of encountering non-cancerous diseases caused by nitrates through the consumption of vegetables in Jiroft region.

 

 

 

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Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research
Volume 54, Issue 9
December 2023
Pages 1251-1268

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