Metal Contamination and Health Risk from Consumption of Organically Grown Vegetables Influenced by Atmospheric Deposition in a Seasonally Dry Tropical Region of India

Pot-culture experiments showed that organically grown Vicia faba, influenced by atmospheric deposition, accumulated (μg g−1) 0.088–3.246 Cadmium, 0.19–42.48 Chromium, 0.0124–30.43 Copper, 0.075–4.28 Lead and 0.63–67.68 Zinc. Similar trends appeared for Abelmoschus esculentus. At high deposition sites, Cadmium, Lead and Zinc exceeded the safe limits of Prevention of Food Adulteration standards. Health risk index for Cadmium, Copper and Lead exceeded the safe limits of United States Environmental Protection Agency. The study suggests that atmospheric deposition could substantially elevate metal levels in organically grown vegetables in 2011.