Journal of Environmental Health and Sustainable Development

en Seasonal Variation and Health Risk Assessment of Cd, Pb, and Nitrate in Vegetables and Fruits Available in North West of Iran Food safety and hygiene Original articles <div class="yw_text_small" dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"> <div style="text-align: justify;">Introduction: Given the significant role of fruits and vegetables in the Iranian diet, this study aimed to evaluate the health risks linked to the heavy metals   in 6+ fruits and vegetables, specifically cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), as well as nitrate in household diets. Materials and Methods: A total of 1941 fresh samples were collected from East and West Azerbaijan province in Iran across three seasons. Then, the concentration of Cd, Pb, and nitrate were examined. Results: Analysis using SPSS software version 20 found that all vegetable samples contained heavy metals and nitrates, with Cd levels within permissible limits. Pb concentrations varied by season: 40.4-280.33 ppb in spring, 36.77-283.67 ppb in summer, and 6.21-236.23 ppb in autumn. Pb levels exceeded the national standard organization of Iran (INSO) limit in several samples, including greenhouse cucumbers (48.48%) and conventional cucumbers (62.22%), onions (48.71%). Nitrate concentrations included 45.33-3390 ppb in spring, 9.66-3581 ppb in summer, and 34.28-3281.94 ppb in autumn, with exceedances in samples such as spinach (92%) and leafy vegetables (100%). Despite these exceedances, the target hazard quotient (THQ) for Cd, Pb, and nitrates was below 1, indicating no immediate health risks for the Iranian population. Conclusion: While the presence of Pb and nitrates in certain vegetable samples raises concerns regarding food safety and compliance with health standards, the overall assessment suggests that the levels of these contaminants do not currently pose a significant health risk. Continuous monitoring and adherence to safety standards are essential to ensure public health safety.</div> </div> Cadmium, Lead, Nitrate, Risk Assessment,North West of Iran. 2568 2585 http://jehsd.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-135-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Melika Saeedlunia saeedluniam@yahoo.com 0009-0009-2410-2697 No Student Research Committee, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran Ali Abdolahnejad Abdolahnejada@yahoo.com 0000-0003-0193-7690 No Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran Farhang Hameed Awlqadr Awlqadrf@yahoo.com 0000-0002-1737-5920 No Department of Food Science and Quality Control, Halabja Technical College, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaymaniyah 46001, Iraq Maryam Farshidi farshidim@yahoo.com 0000-0001-8802-1954 No Department of Food Science and Technology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Mojtaba Pourakbar Pourakbarm@yahoo.com 0000-0002-8211-9640 No Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran Behzad Ebrahimi ebrahimib@tbzmed.ac.ir 0000-0002-5278-0841 Yes Department of Food Science and Technology, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran