Effect of environmental pollution and marketing mechanism on some metals content of Baghdad market's vegetable

Abstract

This study aims to find out the content of metal elements, especially heavy metals in some vegetables in the markets of Baghdad. Samples were collected from areas which is the most susceptible to contamination being located in places exposed to car exhaust and densely populated, these samples selected the most vegetables addressed which are apart of the daily food of the Iraqi humans, like tomato, cucumber, celery, lettuce, berbin (Portulaca aleracea) and pepper. These samples were collected during the days of no rain and have been tested without washing, that to see how contaminated naturally and without intervention to remove one of the reasons for reducing pollution, the elements were determined by a Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, from the macro elements was determined the magnesium which proved the search results, there is no significant differences between the samples was measured, but the micro elements, iron and copper registered, there was a high level of iron and there was different between the concentration of the samples content especialy celery of Teyeran square has scored the highest reading where exceeded the acceptable level, as well Berbin from the same area, but cabbage and cucumber have registered less reading of copper as recorded.In the mean while, for heavy metals, many vegetables have showed that are deserted from Lead as in Celery Zayouna and tomato Kadhimiya, Altayaren Square cucumber but tomato and celery in Almnsour, cabbage in Zayouna, lettuce Kadhimiya did not registered any reading of Chrome and recorded readings of nickel and cadmium level is high but can be avoided by washing or pealing, but the cobalt of celery in Tayeran Square has recorded higher level than the daily human needs.