The average values of heavy metals in the vegetables tested collected
from production sites are lower than the PFA standard
(Awasthi, 2000). At market sites, the mean concentration of Cu in
cauliflower, and of Zn and Cd in both palak and cauliflower had exceeded
the PFA standard. Zn at production sites also exceeded the
PFA standard in cauliflower. Cd concentrations in vegetables tested
from both production and market sites were many folds higher
than the EU standard (Marshall, 2004). In contrast, Pb in vegetables
tested from both production and market sites was below the PFA
standard, but was many folds above the EU standard (Table 3).
Cu concentration exceeded the PFA standard at all the market sites
in cauliflower, and at sites 1 and 3 in palak (Fig. 2). Zinc concentration
exceeded the PFA standard in cauliflower at most of the production
and market sites (Fig. 3). Cadmium level in all the
vegetables tested exceeded the EU standard (0.1 lg/g) at all the
production sites, but was lower than PFA standard (1.5 lg/g) in
both lady’s finger and palak (Fig. 4).