HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION OF PLANT RAW MATERIAL INTENDED FOR FOOD

摘要

Plants best absorb heavy metals by exchange. Most heavy metals get into plant roots and tubers from soil and into leaves from the atmosphere. The aim of this research was to determine the accumulation levels of heavy metals in organically grown pumpkin peel and flesh and in the tubers of Jerusalem artichoke. The following pumpkin and Jerusalem artichoke cultivars were selected for the investigations: Cucurbita maxima cv 'Rouge vif d'Etampes', Cu-curbita moschata cv 'Muscade de Provence' and Helianthus tuberosus L. cvs 'Rubik', 'Albik', and 'Sauliai' and grown in a certified organic field. Heavy metal residues in all samples did not exceed the maximum permissible concentrations. Tubers of the investigated Jerusalem artichoke cvs are more sensitive to the effect of heavy metals than the over ground pumpkin fruits.