TRACE METAL ACCUMULATION IN VEGETABLES GROWN IN INDUSTRIAL AND SEMI-URBAN AREAS OF SINGRAULI DISTRICT OF MADHYA PRADESH INDIA

The study undertaken for trace metal accumulation by fly ash, coal and mines waste in Singrauli industrialized district of Madhya Pradesh, India, using atomic absorption spectrometry. Present studies were focused into three Industrial, semi-urban and rural areas. Mostly sources of trace metals to plants are the air or soil from which these elements are taken up by foliage or root. Soil grown vegetable samples were collected from these distinct areas and were analyzed for Pb, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn and Cd concentration and their accumulation pattern. Only rural area is free from most of the contaminant and treated as control intended for these trace metals. From each studies area composite samples of common growing and consuming vegetables samples were analyzed quantitatively. In this investigation six commonly consumable vegetables Potato (Solanum Tuberosam), Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill),  Karela (Momordica charantia)  Lady’s finger (Abelmoschus esculentus Linn.), Brinjal (Solanum Melongena) Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) were studies for monitoring or observation of current status of following trace metals. Results indicated that an alarming situation in both studied areas was found. The remarkable differences were observed between the ranges of these elements in vegetables crops of rural with semi-urban areas and industrially growing areas. In industrial area Ni, Pb, Cu were reported in higher concentrations in Lycopersicon esculentum, Momordica charantia, Solanum Melongena and Brassica oleracea whereas in semi urban area the range of Cu higher in Lycopersicon esculentum and Abelmoschus esculentus on comparison with the rural areas. Based on air accumulation and concentration factor calculations, trace metals of Pb and Zn in industrial and semi-urban areas were found to be receiving the contributions from both atmospheric and soil inputs in all vegetables. The air environments in industrial and semi-Urban areas were enriched with trace metals, but their concentrations were within the permissible levels. Accessibility of trace metals pretentious to environment and it has turn into a major threat to plant and common growing vegetables due to their bioaccumulation potential tendencies along with variable toxicity level.