Potential risks assessment of heavy metal(loid)s contaminated vegetables in Pakistan: a review

Heavy metal(loid)s (HM) contamination and associated potential health risks are an issue of global concern. The pathways through which these HM affect human body include food crops, vegetables, animal products, and processed food items. This study aim to assess HM concentrations in vegetables studied across Pakistan. The concentration trends of HM followed a decreasing order: Punjab > Khyber Pakhtunkhwa > Sindh > Baluchistan > Gilgit Baltistan. The daily intake of metal(loid)s through consumption of HM was calculated and found the highest for Fe and lowest for Cd and Se. The maximum hazard quotient value was observed for As and Cd in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces and surpassed the threshold limit (<1). Results showed that children are at higher risks to both noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. Higher HM concentrations and associate health risks in Punjab province could be attributed to industrial discharge and use of sewage-contaminated water for irrigation of vegetables.