ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was the assessment of the contents of harmful metals in vegetables grown in three gardens in Siedlce. In the years 1986- 1988 and 1990 the contents of copper, zinc, lead and cadmium was determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry. The vegetables like: lettuce, cabbage, tomato, carrot, root and leaves of parsley were studied. The total samples number of vegetables was 314. The study showed essential differences in the metals levels between investigated vegetables species. It was found that vegetables from gardens in Siedlce, in general, contents less metals such as copper, zinc, cadmium and lead than it allowed by Polish Ministry of Health. A little more lead than permitted for vegetables in Poland it was determined only in few samples of carrot and parsley. In 50% samples of parsley leaves zinc level was higher than 10 mg/kg.