Effect of fertilization on the accumulation and health risk for heavy metals in native Andean potatoes in the highlands of Perú.

Soil infertility is a global problem, amendments such as organic fertilizers and mineral fertilizers are used to improve crop yields. However, these fertilizers contain heavy metals as well as essential mineral elements. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of organic and inorganic fertilizer on the accumulation and health risk of heavy metals in tubers. The plants were cultivated at an altitude of 3970 m using four treatments (poultry manure, alpaca manure, island guano and inorganic fertilizer) and a control group. Soil contamination levels and the degree of metal accumulation in the tubers were also determined. As a result, it was found that the use of inorganic fertilizer and poultry manure increased the values of Cu and Zn in soils, exceeding the recommended standards. The accumulation of heavy metals in potato tubers did not exceed the maximum recommended limits with the exception of Pb, which exceeded the limit allowed by the FAO/WHO (0.1 mg kg-1). Poultry manure contributed to the highest accumulation of Zn, Cu and Pb in tubers with 11.62±1.30, 3.48±0.20 and 0.12 ±0.02 mg kg-1 respectively. The transfer of metals from the soil to the tubers was less than 1. Individual and total non-carcinogenic risk values were less than 1, indicating a safe level of consumption for children and adults. The cancer risk was found to be within an acceptable range. However, poultry manure and inorganic fertilizer treatments had the highest total cancer risk values in both age groups, suggesting a long-term carcinogenic risk.

Heavy metals in soils and edible tissues of Lepidium meyenii (maca) and health risk assessment in areas influenced by mining activity in the Central region of Peru.

Heavy metal contamination of soil and agricultural products is an environmental problem, has an adverse effect on the quality of food crops, and is a danger to food security and public health. The concentration of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in surface soils and edible hypocotyls tissues of two ecotypes of Lepidium meyenii Walpers (maca) was evaluated in three districts of the Junín province, Peru. In addition, the risk to human health due to exposure to heavy metals from maca consumption was evaluated. Soil samples and maca hypocotyls were collected in areas influenced by mining and metallurgical activity. The mean concentration of Cd (0.32 ± 0.23 mg/kg) and Pb (0.20 ± 0.12 mg/kg) in maca samples exceeded the values established by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. The bioconcentration factor was less than 1. The estimated daily intake of each metal was below the oral reference dose. The hazard quotient and hazard index were less than 1, it is unlikely to cause non-cancer adverse health outcome. The cancer risk for As and Cd was higher than the tolerable limit (1 × 10-6) in children and adults. In the district of Ondores, the cancer risk for As in children was higher than the acceptable limit (1 × 10-4). Residents of the Ondores district would be more exposed to As and Cd from consumption of maca hypocotyls. It is very important to carry out continuous monitoring of other toxic metals in different ecotypes of maca (red, black, yellow, purple, creamy white, pink) in order to evaluate the variation in the accumulation of heavy metals and the level of toxicity of each metal between ecotypes.