Scholarly record

INVESTIGATION ON HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATIONS OF POTATO TUBERS GROWN IN DIFFERENT PRODUCTION SITES IN VUSHTRRI, KOSOVO

Fidan Feka, Fadil Musa, Ahmet Musa, Shkelqim Behrami

Abstract

Potatoes take up metals by absorbing them from contaminated soils, as well as from deposits on different parts of the vegetables exposed to the air from polluted environments. The content of Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd in potato tubers grown in different production sites of Vushtri, Kosovo was determined using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Experimental work was performed at the chemical laboratory of the Phytosanitary Corporation Sara & Meti, Kosovo, which is accredited according to ISO 17025. The results of this study showed that there was wide variation in the concentration of these metals in potato tubers collected from different sites. The range of Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd level (mg/kg of fresh weight), regardless the sites of production was 0.23-1.40; 0.03-0.54; 0.001-0.29 and 0.001-0.008 respectively. Based on the results obtained there was an increase of the concentration of heavy metals in potato tubers compared with permitted level according to World Health Organization (WHO). According to the ANOVA there were shown to exist statistical significant differences with regard to the content of heavy metals in potato tubers according to the site of production (Factor A), the type of metal (Factor B) and their interaction (A x B).

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