Potential health risk of heavy metals via consumption of rice and vegetables grown in the industrial areas of Bangladesh

Heavy metals are toxic in nature, and their contamination in foodstuff is a matter of concern for human health. The present study was conducted to assess the concentrations of chromium, nickel, copper, arsenic, cadmium, and lead in rice and vegetables and their possible human health risks in Tangail district, Bangladesh. Metals were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after microwave digestion system. The average values of Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, and Pb in rice and vegetables were 16.26, 16.11, 13.99, 2.28, 1.86, and 7.93 mg/kg, respectively. The average metal concentration in rice and vegetable species was in the decreasing order of okra > chili > bitter gourd > papaya > brinjal > bean > bottle gourd >…