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Study of heavy metal accumulation in Spinach irrigated with industrial waste water of Bhiwadi industrial area, Rajasthan

Madhvi Saini, Kailash Chandra Sharma and Manju Sharma

The concentrations of some heavy metals were determined in Spinach (Beta palonga) which were irrigated with treated and untreated waste water of Bhiwadi industrial area. Metal concentrations in the vegetable samples were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS).The levels of all the metals studied were higher than those recommended by Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).The high levels of these heavy metals thought to place the consumers of these vegetable crops grown within the study area at health risk with time unless an urgent step is taken by relevant agencies to address this issue. The study concluded that industrial waste water (untreated) and treated by common effluent treatment plant (CETP) is not suitable for irrigational purposes, in its present form. Spinach plants produced visible symptoms of toxicity and growth retardation, due to high accumulation of heavy metals when exposed to untreated industrial waste water .These responses of Spinach plants indicated its behaviour as a bioindicator of heavy metal pollution in waste water and may be helpful in research studies and phytoremedial approaches.