Heavy metals contamination of fruits and vegetables in Europe

Abstract

Heavy metals are natural compounds of the soil and due the human activities and some natural causes, their levels exceed the legislative threshold values in some agricultural soils, becoming harmful for human health and environment. At the level of the European Union there are laws which regulate the threshold values of heavy metals in agriculture soils and in fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, in markets there are still plant products of whose heavy metals (or other contaminants) content exceeds the maximum allowable levels. Contamination of food crops with heavy metals is mainly due to the crops growth in polluted soils and the excessive use of plants protection products with heavy metals. Thus, their short- or long-term consumption can pose risk to human health. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to identify, based on published studies, the content of cadmium, lead, copper and zinc in fruits and vegetables grown in different parts of Europe or sold on the markets of European Community countries. According to the results of published studies, the fruits and vegetables grown in certain areas of Europe, including in some areas of Romania, may be harmful to human health, the cadmium, lead, copper and zinc levels exceeding the maximum permitted limits.