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1350336 
Journal Article 
Trace element transfer from soil to vegetables around the lead smelter in Baia Mare, NW Romania 
Mihali, C; Michnea, A; Oprea, G; Gogoasa, I; Pop, C; Senila, M; Grigor, L 
2012 
Yes 
Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
ISSN: 1459-0255 
WFL PUBL 
HELSINKI 
10 
1 
828-834 
English 
WOS:000300924300047 
Baia Mare is a mining and metallurgical centre in North west Romania producing lead and copper for over 150 years. The lead smelter is located in
Ferneziu district in a relative densely populated area. We collected 11 soil samples around the
lead smelter and also 44 vegetable samples of 8 vegetable species commonly grown in gardens in
Ferneziu district. The contents of trace elements (As, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn and Co) in soil and
vegetables were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The average
contents of As and heavy metals in the edible part of vegetable samples were: As 1.21; Pb 29.21;
Cd 1.23; Zn 82.72; Cu 10.4; Ni 0.44; Mn 18.88 and Co 0.18 mg kg(-1) dry weight (DW) while in the
soil samples they were: 143.45; 3058.82; 6.28; 976.82; 607.82; 4.20; 1239.27 and 4.63 mg kg(-1)
DW. Pollution indexes were used in order to characterize the overall degree of soil and vegetable
contamination with As and heavy metals. Pb is the prevalent pollutant element both in soil and
vegetables but also important pollutants were Cd, As, Zn and Cu, while Co, Mn and Ni do not
present any hazard due to their presence in soil or in plants. Transfer factors (TF) were
calculated and they decrease in the following order: Cd > Ni > Zn > Co > Cu > Mn > Pb approximate
to As. The high values of Cd TF for some vegetables like carrot, parsley and dill are of big
concern. The consumption of the vegetables grown in Ferneziu area poses risk on the health of
residents especially for vegetables having high values of TF or high concentration of pollutant
elements (Cd, Pb, Zn and As) in the soil in their gardens. 
Soil pollution; lead; arsenic; cadmium; copper; zinc; vegetables pollution; transfer factors