A systematic review: global trend in heavy metal concentration in vegetables, dietary exposure, and health risk assessment

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#metals-heavy #vegetables #humans #risk-assessment #food-contamination

A systematic review: global trend in heavy metal concentration in vegetables, dietary exposure, and health risk assessment

Jalil et al., 2026 | Environ Monit Assess | Systematic Review

Citation

Jalil Aleeza, Noor Mehwish Jamil, ... Qaisar Iqra. A systematic review: global trend in heavy metal concentration in vegetables, dietary exposure, and health risk assessment. Environ Monit Assess. 2026-Feb-24;198(3). doi:10.1007/s10661-026-15103-9

Abstract

The contamination of heavy metals has become a major threat to public health globally, mainly because of its long-lasting nature, toxicity, and bioaccumulation. This systematic review for the first time assesses the studies conducted all over the world to evaluate the sources, in addition to the categorization of vegetable types. The review observed mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and arsenic (As) as the most frequently reported contaminants impacting vegetables across the included studies. The studies assessed leafy, root, and fruiting vegetables that are commonly eaten in Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America in contamination with cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg). Established indices such as estimated daily intake (EDI), hazard quotient or target hazard quotient (HQ/THQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk indices were used to conduct health risk assessment. The results show that Cd, Pb, and Cr are the most problematic contaminants as they often exceeded FAO/WHO or EU permissible levels, especially in leafy vegetables, which formed over a half of the total hazard index load. The most affected area was South Asia, mainly because of the high agricultural activities, industrial emissions, and irrigation of wastewater. Some of the studies reported a THQ/HI value of more than 1 and increased carcinogenic risk with Cd, Pb, As, and Cr, and the most vulnerable population was found to be children worldwide.

Key Findings

Some of the studies reported a THQ/HI value of more than 1 and increased carcinogenic risk with Cd, Pb, As, and Cr, and the most vulnerable population was found to be children worldwide.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Metals, Heavy
  • Vegetables
  • Humans
  • Risk Assessment
  • Food Contamination
  • Dietary Exposure
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Environmental Monitoring

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Systematic Review
  • Publication Types: Systematic Review, Journal Article, Review
  • Vertical: chromium

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09