Nutritional status and risk characterization of red pepper, cabbage, lettuce and spinach grown at Ajiwa, Batagarawa, Lambun Sarki and Kofar Marusa vegetable farms, Katsina State, Nigeria

Toxic heavy metals in vegetables are a global concern due to the serious public health risks they pose. Vegetables offer several health benefits to humans because of their rich nutritional composition, including vitamins that strengthen bones and minerals that improve skin health. To assess human health risks, this study quantified heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in popular vegetables like red pepper, cabbage, lettuce, and spinach grown at Ajiwa, Batagarawa, Lambun Sarki, and Kofar Marusa Vegetable Farms in Katsina State, Nigeria. The majority of vegetable samples tested positive for heavy metals. Human health risks were analyzed using metrics such as estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and hazard index. All EDI values for the heavy metals were lower than their maximum tolerated daily intake (MTDI) levels. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values for Pb in most samples were found to be below the threshold, indicating that lifelong consumption of these vegetables poses no carcinogenic health effects. The THQ values for all transfer factors (TF) in the vegetables were less than one, indicating that, except for arsenic, which was greater than one, the vegetables were free of contamination and safe to consume. Consequently, the transfer of metals from soil to vegetables did not adversely affect the produce. Therefore, these vegetables are safe to consume and beneficial to health.