A Study on the Heavy Metal Contents of Root Vegetables on the Retail Markets in Korea

국내에서 시판 중인 근채류의 중금속에 관한 조사 연구

This study was conducted to estimate the contents of heavy metals 'mercury(Hg), cadmium(Cd), lead(Pb), arsenic(As), zinc(Zn), copper(Cu), chrome(Cr) and manganese(Mn)' in root vegetables which were produced in Korea. The levels of heavy metals were determined using a mercury analyzer, an ICP(inductively coupled plasma spectrometer) and an AAS(atomic absorption spectrophotometer) after wet digestion. The values of heavy metals 'mean(minimum-maximum)' mg/kg(ppm) in root vegetables (radish, turnip, carrot, ginger, edible burdock, taro, Chinese yam, east indian lotus) were as follows ; Hg : 0.0019(0.0002${\~}$0.0062), Cd : 0.0088(ND${\~}$0.0402), Pb : 0.021(ND${\~}$0.1070), As : 0.0401(ND${\~}$0.1732), Zn : 1.865(0.4186${\~}$6.9319), Cu : 0.648 (0.1826${\~}$4.0172), Cr : 0.121(0.0132${\~}$1.2030), and Mn : 2.730(0.0477${\~}$10.0468) mg/kg. These results showed that Hg were generally similar to and Cd was lower but Ph, As, Zn, Co, Mn were little higher than the levels of those reported contents in root vegetables on retail markets in Korea. Although the tolerable limit of Cd and Hg is not set in a regulation of WHO/FAO, the tested mean levels(Pb, As, Zn, Cu) were lower than the regulated ones of WHO/FAO, Pb '0.1-2.0', As '1.0', Zn '5.0', and Cu 0.1${\~}$50 mg/kg from vegetables. Therefore, root vegetables sold in the retail markets were evaluated as safe in terns of the heavy metal contents.