Effects of soil nutrition on some elements' uptake by plants and human health-risk assessment

Some elements in fertilizers can accumulate in soil, transfer to vegetables and pose a number risks to humans and the environment. This study determined several elements (Cl, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Na, Sc, Sb and Zn) in the system of fertilizers-soil-vegetables samples by using the k₀-standardized instrumental neutron activation analysis (k₀-NAA). The results indicate that the elemental composition in plants is influenced by the source of nutrients, whether from soil or fertilizers. Target hazard quotients (THQ) were lesser than 1 for all vegetables, indicating that consumers were at least a risk when consuming individual vegetables. (author)