ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METAL TOXICITY ON SOME VEGETABLES AND FRUITS SOLD IN THE STREETS OF BERHAMPUR CITY, ODISHA, INDIAS.P. ADHIKARYAbstract Air being an important and vital component of earthÂ’s environment, a slight modification of its composition by pollutant load can have caused effects on the growth, development and survival of different organisms in this planet. Urbanization is inevitable as it is directly linked with the process of industrialization and economic development. Air pollution has become a growing problem in mega cities and large urban areas throughout the globe and transportation is recognized as the major source of air pollution in many cities. Vehicular emissions have drastic impact on living and nonliving components of the ecosystem. The growth of motor vehicle population in any city determines the contribution of auto emissions to the overall air pollution in that city. In busy work schedule of people there is no time in their way of life to purchase vegetable and fruits from vending zones. According to need of people vegetable and fruits are sold in the streets, bus stops and city complexes where the auto mobile emissions are more and they become contaminated by deposition of heavy metal on their surfaces. People have been suffering from abdominal disease by consuming these vegetables and fruits. The present study has been planned to study the levels of heavy metal deposition on the fruits and vegetable sold along the road sides of Berhampur streets, bus stops and city complexes. Mostly Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn and Fe are the heavy metal deposited on the vegetable and fruits. The values found exceed the permissible limit of WHO. Hence, awareness should be created among the people and vegetable and fruits seller to avoid road side sell and use proper vending zone marked by municipality.
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