Heavy metal accumulation in the edible parts of some cultivated plants and media samples from a volcanic region in southern Turkey

The concentration levels of ten different heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were investigated in the soils and the edible parts of six different cultivated plants (Brassica oleracea var. capitata, Portulaca oleracea, Vitis vinifera, Raphanus sativus, Phaseolus vulgaris, and Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata) from the Isparta region in southern Turkey, where volcanic soils are present. The heavy metal content of the samples was determined by ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer) and plant translocation factors (TF) were also calculated. Both soil and plant samples had significant differences in heavy metal concentrations. The mean heavy metal contents in soil samples decreased in the order of Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu>Pb>Mo>Ni>Cr>Cd>Co. The concentrations of Cd and Pb exceeded their respective permissible limits in soil samples; however, their accumulation in plants was lower due to the physical and chemical properties of the soils, which prevented their translocation to the plants. The TF values of Mo are highest in all plants except P. oleracea and the Mn concentration is highest in P. oleracea. Comparisons of the present results to those of others in related literature indicated that only Mn was above the accepted levels in P. oleracea.