Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Wastewater to Livestock from Punjab Province, Pakistan

This study investigates heavy metal concentrations in vegetables and Triticum aestivum irrigated with wastewater and tube well water and their potential risks to livestock via their consumption. A total of 9 food crops were investigated for 13 metal concentrations via atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results revealed that metal concentrations in food crops grown on tube well water and wastewater followed the order K> Ca> Na> Fe> Mg> Pb> Mn> Zn> Co> Ni> Cr> Cu> Cd and K> Ca> Na> Fe> Mg> Pb> Mn> Zn> Co> Ni> Cd> Cr>Cu, respectively. Among the studied metals, Pb and Cd surpassed maximum allowable limit (MAL) in all food crops irrigated with wastewater and tube well water. Cr also crossed the MAL in most of the wastewater-irrigated food crops and in Abelmoschus esculentum of tube well water-irrigated food crops. Daily intake of metal (DIM) values for livestock via wastewater and tube well water food crops consumption followed the trends: goat> buffalo> cow. Triticum aestivum have higher DIM values than all other vegetables and posed greater health risks to livestock due to their larger consumption rates. This study will further provide a base line for reference oral dose implication of livestock risks assessment lacking globally.