ACCUMULATION OF HEAVY METALS IN RED BEETS (BETA VULGARIS L.) IN HOUSEHOLDS FROM THE COPȘA MICĂ AREA

Abstract

This study shows the accumulation of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu) from the soil in the roots of beetroot (Beta Vulgaris L.) from individual gardens in the polluted area CopșaMică.The estimation of heavy metal accumulation in beetroot grown in the area affected by historical pollution was carried out based on a data set collected from 18 individual households. The content of heavy metals in the soil ranged for Cd between 0.52 mg/kg^-1 and 19.52 mg/kg^-1, Pb had values from 19 mg/kg^-1 to 530 mg/kg^-1, Zn ranged between 28 mg/kg^-1 and 112 mg/kg^-1 and Cu had values from 150 mg/kg^-1 to 1136 mg/kg^-1. The concentration of cadmium (Cd) in the root of red beet varied between 0.015 mg/kg^-1 and 0.568 mg/kg^-1. The content of lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) registered values between 0.019 mg/kg^-1 and 0.198 mg/kg^-1, respectively from 0.49 mg/kg^-1and 2.01 mg/kg^-1.Zinc content values was between 3.5 mg/kg^-1 and 10.4 mg/kg^-1. It is noted that for cadmium (r=0,839^***), lead (r=0,667^**) and zinc (r=0,624^**) the values of the linear correlation coefficient differ significantly from zero indicating a close dependence between the considered variables. In the case of copper (r=0,213^ns), the value of the linear correlation coefficient does not significantly differ from zero, which requires the use of another stochastic model to describe the accumulation of this metal in beetroot.