Table 1 Concentration of heavy metals (mg/kg fw) in commonly consumed vegetables in Bangladesh.

Bitter gourd (n = 9)

Momordica charantia

Fruit

1.696 ± 0.20

0.529 ± 0.23

14.047 ± 0.78

73.6 ± 0.43

4.4113 ± 0.15

Egg plant (n = 9)

Solanum melongena L

Fruit

5.603 ± 0.54

0.625 ± 0.23

13.347 ± 0.48

90.78 ± 0.42

5.63 ± 0.16

Snake gourd (n = 9)

Trichosanthes cucumerina

Fruit

1.982 ± 0.49

1.053 ± 0.10

12.178 ± 0.18

85.78 ± 2.4

4.650 ± 0.08

Pumpkin (n = 9)

Cucurbita moschata

Fruit

4.230 ± 0.29

0.402 ± 0.15

5.678 ± 0.20

61.83 ± 10.9

4.096 ± 0.002

Papaya (n = 9)

Carica papaya

Fruit

1.148 ± 0.31

0.042 ± 0.02

4.969 ± 0.17

79.21 ± 12.04

2.504 ± 0.10

Chinese okra (n = 9)

Luffa acutangular

Fruit

3.632 ± 0.87

0.321 ± 0.15

6.935 ± 0.07

95.07 ± 1.27

9.494 ± 0.06

Tomato (n = 9)

Solanum lycopersicum

Fruit

1.773 ± 0.65

0.925 ± 0.06

5.424 ± 0.04

83.14 ± 0.95

3.456 ± 0.15

Pointed gourd (n = 9)

Trichosanthes dioica

Pod

8.903 ± 0.38

0.419 ± 0.15

13.735 ± 0.25

124.65 ± 1.87

5.373 ± 0.22

Teasel gourd (n = 9)

Momordica dioica

Pod

3.888 ± 0.54

0.252 ± 0.09

12.767 ± 0.28

113.19 ± 2.28

8.006 ± 0.02

Ladies finger (n = 9)

Abelmoschus esculentus

Pod

4.472 ± 0.85

0.968 ± 0.15

12.592 ± 0.41

75.88 ± 0.57

4.996 ± 0.11

Yard-long Bean (n = 9)

Vigna nguiculate ssp. Sesquipedalis

Pod

12.593 ± 0.99

0.243 ± 0.11

9.367 ± 0.11

79.21 ± 5.35

6.063 ± 0.09

Carrot (n = 9)

Daucus carota

Root

1.785 ± 0.54

0.254 ± 0.10

8.623 ± 0.15

64.57 ± 10.61

4.272 ± 0.02

Taro (n = 9)

Colocasia esculenta

Root

7.746 ± 0.50

2.558 ± 0.20

8.115 ± 0.14

108.04 ± 1.03

3.632 ± 0.06

Potato (n = 9)

Solanum tuberosum

Root

0.298 ± 0.07

0.452 ± 0.10

3.912 ± 0.14

33.23 ± 1.104

3.055 ± 0.02

Cauliflower (n = 9)

Brassica oleracea botrytis

Stem

12.16 ± 0.78

1.724 ± 0.18

6.447 ± 0.05

92.65 ± 1.27

6.06 ± 0.08

Permissible limit

0.3⁴⁴

0.05⁴⁵

2.3⁴⁴

450⁴⁶

2.7⁴⁴

% of vegetables exceeded permissible limit

93.3

93.3

100

0

93.3