Assessment of Copper and Zinc contamination through vehicular emission on vegetables growing near road side (Published)
Vegetables are important sources of many nutrient, including vitamins, dietary fibre, folate (folic acid), and minerals and have beneficial antioxidative effects. Heavy metals like Cu and Zn can easily enter in our body through consumption of vegetables contaminated with such metals. The toxic levels of the Zinc and Copper in leafy vegetables growing near road side fields were highly dependent on vehicular exhaust and non-exhaust emissions. Industrial emissions and the frequency of brake use and vehicles coming to a complete stop were additional factors that affected the contamination levels of Zn and Cu in leafy vegetables. The concrete highway also had higher contamination levels of such heavy metals than the asphalt highway. Vehicle speed was also a Major factor contributing to the contamination of higher level of Cu and Zn in road side vegetation of heavy traffic areas. The significant level of Cu in vegetables growing in road sides areas may be due to high rate of brake abrasion from the vehicles and the levels of zinc in vegetables is due to tyre abrasion from vehicles as zinc oxide is used as a vulcanizing agent in making tyre rubber. The main aim of this review article is to determine the level of Cu and Zn in leafy vegetables collected from road side (heavy traffic) areas.
Keywords: Copper, Heavy Metals, Vegetables, Zinc