Heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment in soil-wheat system under different nitrogen levels

Abstract Heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) in organic fertilizer have become a primary source of HMs pollution of farmlands, which could cause deleterious health effects in people exposed through soil-plant systems via multi-pathways. This study investigated China's main grain production area (Henan Province) to evaluate the accumulation and transport characteristics of HMs (Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb) in a soil-wheat system and conduct a health risk assessment for wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) grain under different nitrogenous fertilizer treatments. The results indicated that the Cr, Cu, As and Cd contents in soil were 56.21–113.66, 13.97–58.72, 5.79–22.62 and 0.04–0.23 mg·kg − 1 , and the mean contents of Cr and As contents in wheat grains were 0.78 ± 0.31 and 0.49 ± 0.18 mg·kg − 1 , respectively, which exceeded the corresponding standards. The bio-concentration factor and transfer factor were lowest in response to N-fertilization with N8–N15. Health risk assessment showed that the local population who ingested grain from culture condition of N15 experienced the lowest non-cancer and cancer risks. Among different population groups, HMs posed relatively higher non-cancer and cancer risks to children aged 0–5 years. Furthermore, Cr and As exposure was the greatest contributor to Hazard Index (HI), accounting for 74.72–83.11%, while Cr exposure accounted for > 90% of the total potential cancer risk. Concluding, this study indicated that, to protect human health, the current application of nitrogenous fertilizer should be controlled to an appropriate level.