Risk Assessment of Toxic Elements Contamination via Consumption of Potato Cultivated in Armenia

Abstract

 The purpose of the study is to assess the content of toxic elements (Pb, As, Cd, Hg) in potatoes produced in Armenia, the peculiarities of uptake from the soil, as well as possible health risks associated with the consumption of potatoes by the adult population.
When calculating the transfer factor of toxic elements from soil to potato, rather low values have been recorded (TF<1), which testifies that the potato crops cultivated in different regions aren’t bioaccumulators of researched toxic elements. Besides, the daily intake of the mentioned elements has been estimated and it has been pointed out that the potential risk associated with potato consumption is within the acceptable level.