ABSTRACT

Ornamental date palm and sidr trees growing near or within urban areas are exposed to heavy metals (HMs) contamination. This study aimed to determine the elemental composition and HMs concentrations of fruits from ornamental date palm and sidr trees to evaluate their relative safety for human/animal consumption. The results showed that while these fruits contain varying quantities of essential nutrients (macro and trace elements), the concentrations of macro elements and trace elements in the fruits varied significantly depending on location. The concentrations levels were within the acceptable limits and thus safe. Heavy metals were also present in the fruits at different locations. The concentrations of the HMs were within the permissible limits in the majority of the locations, with the exception of some samples collected from sites with increased traffic density; which had lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd), concentrations above the permissible limits. Washing the fruits reduced the load of HMs contamination in most of the samples; however, the concentrations were still above the maximum allowable limits (MAL) in highly contaminated samples. Accordingly, fruits produced by ornamental date palm and sidr trees may pose some risk for human and animal consumption depending on the location and contamination level of specific HMs.

摘要

生长在城市地区附近或城市内的观赏椰枣和锡德树会受到重金属 (HMs) 污染。本研究旨在确定来自观赏椰枣树和 sidr 树果实的元素组成和 HMs 浓度，以评估它们对人类/动物食用的相对安全性。结果表明，虽然这些水果含有不同数量的必需营养素（宏量和微量元素），但水果中宏量元素和微量元素的浓度因位置而异。浓度水平在可接受的限度内，因此是安全的。不同位置的水果中也存在重金属。大多数地点的 HMs 浓度都在允许的范围内，除了从交通密度增加的地点收集的一些样本；其中铅 (Pb)、铬 (Cr) 和镉 (Cd) 的浓度高于允许限值。清洗水果减少了大多数样品中 HMs 污染的负荷；然而，在高度污染的样品中，浓度仍高于最大允许限值 (MAL)。因此，根据特定 HMs 的位置和污染水平，由观赏椰枣和 sidr 树生产的果实可能对人类和动物消费构成一定的风险。在高度污染的样品中，浓度仍高于最大允许限值 (MAL)。因此，根据特定 HMs 的位置和污染水平，由观赏椰枣和 sidr 树生产的果实可能对人类和动物消费构成一定的风险。在高度污染的样品中，浓度仍高于最大允许限值 (MAL)。因此，根据特定 HMs 的位置和污染水平，由观赏椰枣和 sidr 树生产的果实可能对人类和动物消费构成一定的风险。