Water pollution by heavy metals is one of the leading environmental concerns as a result of intense anthropogenic pressure on the aquatic environment. This constitutes a significant limitation to the human right of access to drinking water. In this context, the risk to humans from exposure to heavy metals and arsenic in water from rivers subject to mining influence in the Central Andes of Peru was assessed. Water samples were collected from seven rivers at 63 sampling sites, and concentrations of Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, and As were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Cluster analysis was used to group 21 sampling sites into four groups with similar chemical characteristics, and principal component analysis was used to simplify the complex relationship between the toxic elements by generating two main components with a total percentage of variation of 86%. Fe, Zn, and As had higher percentages of contribution in the Mantaro, Cunas, and Chia rivers. The hazard quotient was highest for children and adults. The hazard index for ingestion of all the studied heavy metals and As was higher than the threshold value (HI_ing > 1). HI_ing in 43% of the rivers indicated that the adult population is at risk of non-carcinogenic effects, and HI_ing in 14% of the rivers revealed a very high health risk. The risk of cancer by ingestion for children varied from medium to high risk and for adults from low to high risk.

• Cd and Pb in the soil samples under Lepidium meyenii (maca) cultivation exceeded the allowed limit. • Levels of Pb and Cd concentrations in yellow and purple maca hypocotyls were above the allowed limits. • Estimated daily intake of As, Cd, Pb, Fe and Zn were within the allowed limit. • Hazard quotient and hazard index values of As, Cd, Pb, Fe and Zn were less than one. • The consumption of maca hypocotyls in children and adults could pose a significant health risk for consumers.

The contamination of water, air and soil with potentially toxic elements (PTE) compromises the supply of contaminant free food. Vegetables grown in contaminated soils can absorb and accumulate PTE at concentrations that are toxic to human health. In this context, the human risk associated with the intake of artichokes grown in soils irrigated with PTE contaminated water was assessed. 120 samples of surface soil and artichoke heads were collected and the concentrations of Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn and As were determined. The results showed that the concentrations of Cu, Fe and Zn in soil did not exceed the standards of the Ministry of Environment of Peru, but they did exceed those of Pb (125.45 mg kg⁻¹) and As (28.70 mg kg⁻¹). The decreasing order of mean PTE concentration in artichoke heads was Fe > Zn > Cu > Pb > As, exceeding the permissible levels of FAO/WHO CODEX Alimentarius. However, the concentrations of As comply with the maximum limits of inorganic contaminants in vegetables (0.3 mg kg⁻¹) established in the MERCOSUR regulations. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk of Pb and As indicated that the ingestion of artichoke heads does not represent a health risk.

Potentially toxic metals and metalloids in surface water intended for human consumption and other uses in the Mantaro River watershed, Peru | María Custodio, Daniel Álvarez, Walter Cuadrado, Raúl Montalvo, Salomé Ochoa | Agricultural Journals

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