Investigation and Comparison of Heavy Metals Accumulation in Vegetables Irrigated with Well Water and Ghareso River

This study was conducted to investigate accumulation of Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd, and Mn in different vegetables such as spinach (Spinacia oleracea), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graceum) and dill (Anethum graveolens) under irrigation with contaminated water of Ghareso River and well water (control), as two treatments. This study was carried out on root and shoot of three vegetables with three replications as split-plot in a randomized complete block design. The results showed that contaminated water significantly increased the concentration of Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mn in spinach (P Mn > Zn > Cu > Cd. Fe had the highest and Cd had the lowest accumulation in plants. The concentration of Cu and Fe in the shoot and root of spinach, fenugreek, and dill was higher than the WHO standard. The contents of Zn and Mn in the shoot and root of spinach, fenugreek, and dill were below the permissible limit of some standards, but more than the other standards. The amount of Cd in the shoot and root of the examined vegetables was higher than the permissible limit of all standards.