Heta, Ganimete and Zeneli, Vehbi and Velkovski, Valentina and Stamatovska, Viktorija and Pavlovska, Gorica (2025) DETERMINATION OF CHROMIUM CONCENTRATION IN LEAFY VEGETABLES (PARSLEY, SPINACH, LETTUCE) AND FRUIT VEGETABLES (PEPPERS, EGGPLANT AND CUCUMBER) FROM AREAS NEAR A SMELTER FACTORIES. KNOWLEDGE – International Journal.
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
In recent decades, crop safety has been a significant issue in the production of plant-based food products.
Heavy metals and metalloids are natural components of the earth's crust, but their presence in soil is increasing due
to industrial activities, improper waste disposal, and the use of polluted water sources for irrigation. This
contamination can lead to the accumulation of heavy metals in plants, which poses a risk to human health and the
environment. The aim of this study is to determine the concentration of chromium (Cr) in leafy vegetables (parsley,
spinach and lettuce) and fruit vegetables (peppers, eggplant and cucumber) grown in three different regions in
Kosovo (Zvecan, Frasher and Polski) that are at different distances from a lead and zinc smelter factories. The
analyses were carried out using microwave digestion and ICP-MS methods, following an accredited protocol for the
determination of metal contaminants. The samples were dried, % dry matter and % water were determined for all
samples. ICP analyses were performed on dry samples. The concentration of Cr is expressed in dry and fresh form
of the samples. The results showed that the Cr content in leafy vegetables, wet weight ranged from 1.46 mg/kg to
6.99 mg/kg, while in fruit vegetables from 0.99 mg/kg to 2.66 mg/kg. The Cr concentrations in vegetables from
settlements closer to the smelter factories (Zvecan and Polski) were higher compared to those from the farthest
location from the smelter, Polski. The analysis showed that most of the leafy vegetable samples exceeded the
permissible limit for Cr according to the World Health Organization. All leafy vegetable samples, except spinach
and lettuce from the farthest Polish region, have Cr above the permissible limits. Of the fruit vegetables, only the
peppers from Frasher had Cr above the permissible limit. Statistical analysis showed a strong positive correlation
between the concentration of Cr in vegetables from different settlements. This means that different vegetables from
the same area have the same trend of increasing and decreasing Cr concentration, i.e. in the areas closer to the
smelter all vegetables have higher Cr concentrations, and in the area further from the smelter all vegetables have
lower Cr concentrations.Due to the high concentrations of Cr in vegetables near the smelter factories, regular
monitoring and taking steps related to decontamination of these areas are necessary. This research confirms the high
concentrations of heavy metals in locally grown fruits vegetables and emphasizes the importance of continuous
monitoring of the level of contamination to ensure the safety and health of consumers.
Keywords: chromium, determination, leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Natural sciences > Chemical sciences Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Agricultural Sciences > Other agricultural sciences |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Technology and Technical Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Mr Jordan Martinovski |
| Date Deposited: | 21 Nov 2025 12:38 |
| Last Modified: | 21 Nov 2025 12:38 |
| URI: | https://eprints.uklo.edu.mk/id/eprint/11223 |
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