Abstract

OLIVARES RIEUMONT, Susana et al. Cadmium, lead, copper and zinc levels in vegetables grown in a highly urbanized area in La Havana city, Cuba. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2013, vol.29, n.4, pp.285-294. ISSN 0188-4999.

In this paper we report levels of Cu, Pb, Cd and Zn in soils and vegetables grown in a highly urbanized area of La Havana city. We studied 17 farms dedicated to urban agriculture in an area of two kilometers around the landfill "Calle 100" during 2006 and 2007. For the study, samples of the soil and all the vegetables ready to harvest were taken from the farms. The levels of heavy metals in agricultural soils varied in the following ranges: Cd (0.24-2.1 mg/kg), Cu (38.4-81.3 mg/kg), Pb (18.1-138.5 mg/kg) and Zn (44.1-294.7 mg/kg). For Zn and Pb, some farm soils (35 and 52 °% respectively) exceeded the ranges in which these metals are found in Cuban agricultural soils. For Pb, 23 % of the soils exceeded levels considered phytotoxic and limits in some international standards. The 12.5 % of the samples of vegetables collected exceeded the maximum permissible levels of this pollutant in food for human consumption set by Cuban and international standards. The results indicate the need for strict crop monitoring in the area.

Keywords : lead; copper; cadmium; zinc; metals; soils; vegetables.

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