Analysis of Lead and Cadmium Contents in Local Vegetables in Surat Thani, Thailand

• Main Authors: Nipaporn MEEPUN, Nattapan SAGUANSAKBARAMEE, Rattana WONGCHUPHAN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Walailak University 2013-10-01
• Series: Walailak Journal of Science and Technology
• Subjects: Lead; cadmium; local vegetables; atomic absorption spectrometry; Surat Thani
• Online Access: http://wjst.wu.ac.th/index.php/wjst/article/view/624
• ISSN: 1686-3933; 2228-835X

Two toxic heavy metals, cadmium (Cd(II)) and lead (Pb(II)), in samples of local vegetables were analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS). Pak-Leang (Gnetum gnemon Linn.), Pak-Waen (Marsilea crenata Presl.), Mun-Poo (Glochidion littorale Blume Baill.), and Chamuang (Garcinia cowa Roxb.) were from fresh markets in 4 districts namely Muang, Phunphin, Kanchanadit and Ban Na Doem, Surat Thani province. The preparation of samples was carried out by mixed acid digestion procedure in order to extract the heavy metals. From the GFAAS analysis of sample solutions, the average lead contents were as follows: 0.10 ± 0.11 mg kg-1 in Pak-Leang, 0.04 ± 0.07 mg kg-1 in Pak-Waen, 0.14 ± 0.17 mg kg-1 in Mun-Poo and 0.02 ± 0.05 mg kg-1 in Chamuang. The results indicated that the concentrations of lead within these local vegetables were under the maximum allowable level according to the standard of the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. On the other hand, analysis of cadmium found that 3 certain vegetables including Pak-Waen (0.48 ± 0.27 mg kg-1), Mun-Poo (0.78 ± 0.72 mg kg-1) and Chamuang (0.34 ± 0.27 mg kg-1), were contaminated with cadmium higher than the maximum allowable levels in the average for the standards of Australia-New Zealand, Codex, China and the European Union. The assessment of heavy metal indicated that these accumulation quantities in edible plants could be valuably evident for public concerns and research-based food safety. doi:10.14456/WJST.2014.1