Utilization of treated wastewater (TWW) for agricultural purposes has grown over the past few years because of limited available water resources. This study was performed to assess the long-term irrigation of treated wastewater from the Wadi-Musa region on the accumulation of heavy metals in soil and their uptake and translocation to various parts of olive trees. Fifteen year old trees that had been grown and irrigated with treated wastewater resources since their establishment were used in this study. Irrigation water, soil, and plant samples (root, stem bark, leaves, fruits) were collected and chemically analyzed for their heavy metal content. Accumulation of heavy metals in irrigation water and soil were found to be within the acceptable range for the safe use of treated wastewater according to the standards of the WHO. However, long-term and continuous irrigation with TWW resulted in significant accumulation of heavy metals in plant parts when compared to their levels in irrigation water and soil. Uptake of metals was consistent among plant parts with the highest concentrations for Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn, and the lowest concentrations for Ni, Cr and Cd. Assessment of the bioaccumulation factor (BFC) and translocation factors (TF) of heavy metals into different plant parts indicated selective absorption and partitioning of these heavy metals into different plant parts. High BCF values were observed for Fe, Cu and Ni in roots and fruits, and Fe, Mn, Cd and Pb in leaves. Translocation factors of metal ions were variable among plant parts. Fruits had the highest TF for Cu, Cd and Zn metals, and the lowest for Mn and Fe, while leaves have the highest TF for Fe, Zn and Mn and the lowest for Cd and Pb. The results of this study indicate that olive trees are heavy metal accumulators, caution should be considered in long-term use of TWW and periodic assessment of possible hazards, especially on fruits and oil quality is required.

The Middle East is considered as one of the driest regions of the world and the use of municipal-treated wastewater (TWW) for agricultural purposes is needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of continuous irrigation of TWW in lemon orchards on the accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in the soil, as well as their uptake and translocation to aerial parts of the trees. For this purpose, two lemon orchards were selected to be irrigated from two different water sources: TWW from a tertiary treatment plant and freshwater (SW) from Moses springs in Jordan. Continuous irrigation with TWW resulted in higher concentrations of nutrients and HM accumulation in the soil as compared to SW. However, HM accumulation in the soil was found to be within the acceptable range according to the standards of the WHO. On the contrary, the continuous irrigation with TWW resulted in the accumulation of HMs in plant parts when compared to SW irrigation; the fruits were clearly affected by the accumulation of high levels of Cd and Pb that exceed the maximum limits for the presence of HMs in plant tissues. The irrigation of lemon trees with TWW had a significant effect on the bioaccumulation factor and translocation factors (TF) of HMs into different lemon tree parts. Heavy metal accumulation coincided with high translocation rates to different tree parts, and this is considered to be a main challenge for long-term irrigation with TWW in arid environments.

Imidacloprid pesticide is widely utilized in agriculture due to its effectiveness in controlling a broad spectrum of insect pests. However, its usage has raised concerns about potential environmental impacts, and requires careful monitoring and responsible application to ensure sustainable agricultural practices. Thus, Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was utilized to analyze imidacloprid in 300 vegetable and fruit samples obtained from 15 major wholesalers in four regions of Amman, Jordan's capital city. Among the examined samples, 39.7 % were found to be contaminated with imidacloprid residues. Imidacloprid levels in different edible fruits and vegetables ranged from less than the Limit of Quantification (LOQ) to 0.40 mg kg⁻¹. Significantly, eggplant and apples exhibited the highest average values (0.40 and 0.25 mg kg⁻¹, respectively). Lower levels were detected in bananas (0.04 mg kg⁻¹), potatoes (0.05 mg kg⁻¹), grapes (0.07 mg kg⁻¹), and cabbage (0.07 mg kg⁻¹). Imidacloprid was below the method detection limit (BD) in samples of okra, peaches, apricots, and carrots. Overall, 25 samples (8.3 %) exceeded the Codex maximum residue limit (MRL) for imidacloprid. Moreover, 8 out of the 300 samples (2.7 %) exceeded the MRL established by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). Notably, the fruits of eggplant and apple contained the highest residual levels (1.30 and 0.83 mg kg⁻¹, respectively), markedly exceeding the CODEX and PMRA MRLs. Additionally, the maximum detected imidacloprid residue concentration in bananas (0.25 mg kg⁻¹) was 500 % higher than the CODEX MRLs. The estimated average daily intake (EDI) of the Amman population varied from 0.00 to 0.144 μg kg⁻¹ body weight day⁻¹ across various products. The hazard index (HI) for imidacloprid ranged from 0.00 to 0.24, all of which were below unity in all samples (<1). In conclusion, this investigation reveals low HI levels of imidacloprid residues in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables. However, the significant presence of imidacloprid residues in some samples highlights the urgent need for comprehensive measures to limit potential health hazards to consumers.

Arid and semiarid environments of Mediterranean countries suffer from scarcity of water resources, which limits their agriculture productivity. Using treated wastewater (TWW) is considered an alternative strategy for irrigation purposes in such areas. However, TWW contains substantial levels of heavy metals (HMs) and contaminants that pollute the environment and soil. The aim of this study is to evaluate the phytoremediation potential of six selected woody tree species under long-term irrigation with TWW. The concentration, bioaccumulation factor (BFC), translocation factor (TF), and comprehensive bioconcentration index (CBCI) of HMs were measured in the various parts (roots, bark, and leaves) of the studied tree species. The results show a general pattern of mineral accumulation in the roots and low translocation to the areal parts of various species. Cupressus sempervirens, which is a native species in Mediterranean environments, had higher TF values for Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Cd, and Pb metals in its areal parts compared to other tree species. The study shows that Ficus nitida has the potential to be a hyperaccumulator for Cd in its bark, with a TF value that exceeds 12. Deciduous trees species (Populus nigra and Robinia pseudoacacia) were found to have high TF values for Ni and Cd toward their areal parts, whereas a higher TF for Cr (1.21) was only found in P. nigra bark. Cupressus sempervirens had, significantly, the highest bark and leaf CBCI values (0.83 and 0.82, respectively), whereas Ficus nitida had the second-highest values in the bark and leaves (0.56 and 0.51, respectively). Therefore, Cupressus sempervirens and Ficus nitida are considered good hyperaccumulators for various HMs, and can be used for phytoremediation activities in polluted areas.

Purpose of current study was to determine physicochemical, triglyceride composition, and functional groups of wild adlay accessions (brown, black, yellow, grey, green, off white, and purple) to find out its scope as cereal crop. Triglycerides, minerals and functional groups were determined through Gas chromatography, spectrophotometer and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer respectively. Results revealed variation among bulk densities, specific densities, percent empty spaces, and corresponding grain counts per 10 g of sample are useful in distinguishing brown, black, yellow, grey, green, off white, and purple wild adlay accessions. Specific density and grain count per 10 g sample was significantly related. No statistical relationship exists among the pronounced physical characteristics. Brown adlay expressed the highest protein, fat, and fiber contents 15.82%, 4.76% and 2.37% respectively. Protein, fat, ash, and fiber percent contents were found comparable to cultivated adlay. Spectrophotometric analysis revealed macro elements including phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and sodium in the range 0.3% - 2.2% and micro elements boron, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese in the range 1.6 mg/kg - 20.8 mg/kg. Gas chromatography showed polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) constitute the primary fraction (39% ± 7.2) of wild adlay triglycerides. Linoleic and palmitic acids were present as prominent fatty acids, 43.5% ±1.4 and 26.3% ±1.4 respectively. Infra-red frequencies distinguished functional groups in narrow band and fingerprint region of protein in association with out of plane region leading to structural differences among adlay accessions. Comparison of major distinguishing vibrational frequencies among different flours indicated black adlay containing highest functional groups appeared promising for varietal development.