IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i9p4072-d1647129.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Study on Human Health Risks Associated with Consuming Vegetables Grown in Industrially Polluted Soil in Sasar Area, NW Romania, in the Context of Sustainable Development

Author

Listed:
  • Irina Smical

    (Department of Engineering of Mineral Resources, Materials and Environment, North University Centre of Baia Mare, Faculty of Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 62A Victor Babes Str., 430083 Baia Mare, Romania)

  • Adriana Muntean

    (Maramureș Water Management System, Someș-Tisa Basinal Water Administration, No. 2, Hortensiei Street, 430294 Baia Mare, Romania)

  • Valer Micle

    (Department of Environment Engineering and Entrepreneurship of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 103–105 Muncii Avenue, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Ioana Monica Sur

    (Department of Environment Engineering and Entrepreneurship of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 103–105 Muncii Avenue, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Aurelian Cosmin Moldovan

    (Department of Environment Engineering and Entrepreneurship of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 103–105 Muncii Avenue, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

Abstract

This study analyzed the health risks associated with the consumption of certain vegetables (carrot, onion, tomato, and pepper) grown in soils potentially polluted with metals (Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) and metalloids (As) from 15 vegetable gardens in the Sasar locality. The research includes measurement of soil and plant metal concentrations, assessment of global pollution of soils with metals using Nemerow pollution index ( PI N ), calculation of the metal transfer factor ( TF ) from soil to vegetable, daily intake of metal dose ( DIM ) and health risk index ( HRI ) for both children and adults. The results (mean of 3 replicas ± standard deviation) show that the soil is moderately polluted with lead (28.39 ± 8.623 mg kg −1 ), nickel (23.17 ± 4.043 mg kg −1 ), and zinc (123.20 ± 26.918 mg kg −1 ), strongly polluted with copper (71.68 ± 22.463 mg kg −1 ), and cadmium (2.63 ± 0.881 mg kg −1 ). Copper exhibited the highest transfer factors (>0.08), followed by cadmium (~0.06), while zinc and nickel showed moderate values (0.02–0.03). Arsenic and manganese had relatively stable and lower levels, whereas lead displayed the lowest transfer rates (<0.01) across all vegetables. Although the calculated health risk index ( HRI < 1) remains below the critical threshold, the findings emphasize the importance of moderate consumption and continuous monitoring of crops in polluted areas. The results can contribute to the integration of sustainable development principles into community policy, protecting the environment and ensuring the sustainable health of consumers.

Suggested Citation

  • Irina Smical & Adriana Muntean & Valer Micle & Ioana Monica Sur & Aurelian Cosmin Moldovan, 2025. "Study on Human Health Risks Associated with Consuming Vegetables Grown in Industrially Polluted Soil in Sasar Area, NW Romania, in the Context of Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-20, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:9:p:4072-:d:1647129
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/9/4072/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/9/4072/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giuseppe Genchi & Alessia Carocci & Graziantonio Lauria & Maria Stefania Sinicropi & Alessia Catalano, 2020. "Nickel: Human Health and Environmental Toxicology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-21, January.
    2. Daping Song & Dafang Zhuang & Dong Jiang & Jingying Fu & Qiao Wang, 2015. "Integrated Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Suxian County, South China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bianca Gerardo & Marina Cabral Pinto & Joana Nogueira & Paula Pinto & Agostinho Almeida & Edgar Pinto & Paula Marinho-Reis & Luísa Diniz & Paula I. Moreira & Mário R. Simões & Sandra Freitas, 2020. "Associations between Trace Elements and Cognitive Decline: An Exploratory 5-Year Follow-Up Study of an Elderly Cohort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-18, August.
    2. Ewa Adamiec, 2017. "Road Environments: Impact of Metals on Human Health in Heavily Congested Cities of Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-17, June.
    3. Giuseppe Genchi & Maria Stefania Sinicropi & Graziantonio Lauria & Alessia Carocci & Alessia Catalano, 2020. "The Effects of Cadmium Toxicity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-24, May.
    4. Pietro Pandolfi & Ivan Notardonato & Sergio Passarella & Maria Pia Sammartino & Giovanni Visco & Paolo Ceci & Loretta De Giorgi & Virgilio Stillittano & Domenico Monci & Pasquale Avino, 2023. "Characteristics of Commercial and Raw Pellets Available on the Italian Market: Study of Organic and Inorganic Fraction and Related Chemometric Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(16), pages 1-14, August.
    5. Yoonjin Park & Su-Jung Lee, 2022. "Association of Blood Heavy Metal Levels and Renal Function in Korean Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-12, May.
    6. Chao-Hsin Huang & Chih-Wen Wang & Huang-Chi Chen & Hung-Pin Tu & Szu-Chia Chen & Chih-Hsing Hung & Chao-Hung Kuo, 2021. "Gender Difference in the Associations among Heavy Metals with Red Blood Cell Hemogram," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, December.
    7. Maja Radziemska & Joanna Fronczyk, 2015. "Level and Contamination Assessment of Soil along an Expressway in an Ecologically Valuable Area in Central Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-16, October.
    8. Franziska Riedel & Marina Aparicio-Soto & Caterina Curato & Hermann-Josef Thierse & Katherina Siewert & Andreas Luch, 2021. "Immunological Mechanisms of Metal Allergies and the Nickel-Specific TCR-pMHC Interface," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-27, October.
    9. Yuliia Medvedeva & Anatolii Kucher & Joanna Lipsa & Maria Hełdak, 2021. "Human Health Risk Assessment on the Consumption of Apples Growing in Urbanized Areas: Case of Kharkiv, Ukraine," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-14, February.
    10. Shamim Umer & Zaheer Abbas & Irfan Aziz & Maria Hanif & Zainul Abideen & Simeen Mansoor & Neelofar Hamid & Mohammad Ajmal Ali & Fahad M. Al-Hemaid, 2023. "Potential of Ornamental Trees to Remediate Trace Metal Contaminated Soils for Environmental Safety and Urban Green Space Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-11, June.
    11. Nur Syahirah Zulkafflee & Nurul Adillah Mohd Redzuan & Sara Nematbakhsh & Jinap Selamat & Mohd Razi Ismail & Sarva Mangala Praveena & Soo Yee Lee & Ahmad Faizal Abdull Razis, 2022. "Heavy Metal Contamination in Oryza sativa L. at the Eastern Region of Malaysia and Its Risk Assessment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-22, January.
    12. Che-Yu Kuo & Cheng-Fu Lin & Shih-Yu Chung & Yu-Li Lin & Wei-Min Chu & Chun-Chieh Chen & Yu-Tse Tsan, 2022. "Biomonitoring of Urinary Nickel Successfully Protects Employees and Introduces Effective Interventions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-10, April.
    13. Daniela Varrica & Federica Lo Medico & Maria Grazia Alaimo, 2022. "Air Quality Assessment by the Determination of Trace Elements in Lichens ( Xanthoria calcicola ) in an Industrial Area (Sicily, Italy)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-15, August.
    14. Fanfu Zeng & Wei Wei & Mansha Li & Ruixue Huang & Fei Yang & Yanying Duan, 2015. "Heavy Metal Contamination in Rice-Producing Soils of Hunan Province, China and Potential Health Risks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-10, December.
    15. Elisabet Navarro-Tapia & Mariona Serra-Delgado & Lucía Fernández-López & Montserrat Meseguer-Gilabert & María Falcón & Giorgia Sebastiani & Sebastian Sailer & Oscar Garcia-Algar & Vicente Andreu-Ferná, 2021. "Toxic Elements in Traditional Kohl-Based Eye Cosmetics in Spanish and German Markets," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-16, June.
    16. Pardon Nyamukamba & Zethu Mququ & Sandile Nkosi & Shamil Isaacs, 2023. "Determination of Selected Harmful Substances in Baby Diapers Available on the South African Market," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-12, January.
    17. David Johane Machate & Elaine S. de Pádua Melo & Daniela G. Arakaki & Rita de Cássia Avellaneda Guimarães & Priscila Aiko Hiane & Danielle Bogo & Arnildo Pott & Valter Aragão do Nascimento, 2021. "High Concentration of Heavy Metal and Metalloid Levels in Edible Campomanesia adamantium Pulp from Anthropic Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-15, May.
    18. Yaya Liang & Xiaoyun Yi & Zhi Dang & Qin Wang & Houmei Luo & Jie Tang, 2017. "Heavy Metal Contamination and Health Risk Assessment in the Vicinity of a Tailing Pond in Guangdong, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, December.
    19. Se Jin Park & Gwan Woo Ku & Su Yel Lee & Daeun Kang & Wan Jin Hwang & In Beom Jeong & Sun Jung Kwon & Jaeku Kang & Ji Woong Son, 2021. "Analysis of Single Nucleotide Variants (SNVs) Induced by Exposure to PM 10 in Lung Epithelial Cells Using Whole Genome Sequencing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-11, January.
    20. Bimal Manuranga Herath & Chaturanga Bamunuarachchige & Steven L. Stephenson & Abdallah M. Elgorban & Suhail Asad & Jaturong Kumla & Nakarin Suwannarach & Samantha C. Karunarathna & Pinnaduwage Neelama, 2023. "Soil Heavy Metal Absorption Potential of Azolla pinnata and Lemna gibba with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) Farming," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-27, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:9:p:4072-:d:1647129. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.