EVALUATION OF ANTIMONY, CADMIUM AND LEAD LEVELS IN VEGETABLES, DRINKING AND RAW WATER FROM DIFFERENT AGRICULTURAL AREAS

Lead and cadmium levels in edible vegetables and antimony, lead and cadmium in drinking and raw waters from three agricultural areas exposed to different levels of environmental pollution (1—high industrial pollution, 2—high urban pollution, 3—standard low industrial and urban pollution) are determined. The organic matter is destroyed by repeated attack with nitric acid. Cadmium and lead are determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and antimony by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS). When the results obtained for three different areas are compared, differences between cadmium and lead contents in vegetables are observed. Waters are not contaminated with antimony, cadmium or lead in any area. © 1990, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.