Published in Scientific Papers. Series B, Horticulture, Vol. LXVIII, Issue 2
Written by Mariana RUSU, Irina Gabriela CARA, Florina STOICA, Manuela FILIP, Denis ȚOPA, Gerard JITĂREANU
The presence of heavy metals in fruits has become a major concern due to their potential impact on human health. This study aimed to assess the concentration of heavy metals (Ni, As, Cd, Cu, Zn) in plum fruits (Prunus domestica L.) varieties (Tuleu Gras and Carpatin), from “Adamachi” Farm district - Iaşi University of Life Sciences (IULS). The samples of ripe plum fruits were collected from the orchards ecological and conventional management systems from August 2023. The concentrations of metals in plum samples were determined using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (fAAS) after wet digestion (HNO3 65%, H2O2, > 30% w/v). Specifically, the concentration (mg/kg fresh weight) range of Cd (0.005-0.01), As (nd), Ni (0.13-0.23), Zn (0.41-0.57) and Cu (0.76- 1.23) did not exceed the safe limits. The results indicated that the order of accumulated elements in plum fruits followed Cu>Zn>Ni>Cd>As. The potential health risks associated with consuming these fruits were evaluated DIM and HRI using the USEPA probabilistic risk assessment model. However, the calculated HRI values for heavy metals were all found <1, indicating that consuming plums from this area does not pose health risks to local consumers. Overall, the findings of this study demonstrate that plum fruit consumption in the study area does not present any health hazard associated with any of the selected heavy metals.
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