Comparative assessment of heavy metal accumulation and associated ecological and health risks in citrus orchards under canal and domestic wastewater irrigation.

Asma Ashfaq, Rimsha Bashir, Zafar Iqbal Khan, Ahlam Khalofah, Suad Al-Ruzayza

Abstract readComparative Study

In one paragraph

Article in BMC plant biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

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5 authors.

Asma AshfaqInterdisciplinary Research Center for One Health, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan. asma.ashfaq@uos.edu.pk.

Rimsha BashirDepartment of Botany, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan.

Zafar Iqbal KhanDepartment of Botany, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan.

Ahlam KhalofahBiology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia.

Suad Al-RuzayzaDepartment of Biology, College of Science, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

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6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Sargodha is popularly known as California of Pakistan because of its renowned production of superior quality citrus cultivars. However, the increasing reliance on domestic wastewater for irrigation in this region has raised serious concerns regarding the accumulation of hazardous metals in soil and edible fruit tissues. This may pose a significant risk to food safety and human health. In this study, a field-based comparative sampling strategy was adopted, where irrigation water, soil, and citrus fruit samples were obtained from orchards with canal water irrigation (CW-I) and domestic wastewater irrigation (DWW-II). Samples of water, soil, and fruits were analysed through atomic absorption spectrophotometry to evaluate the accumulation of selected heavy metals in irrigation water, soil, and edible parts of three citrus species grown under CW-I and DWW-II irrigation systems. Zn concentrations ranged from 13.31-51.67 mg L

Indexed as

Agricultural IrrigationCitrusMetals, HeavySoil PollutantsWastewaterFruitPakistanRisk AssessmentSoilMetals, HeavySoilSoil PollutantsWastewaterCanal waterCitrusDomestic wastewaterHeavy metalsPotential ecological risk

Identifiers

PMID42363055

DOI10.1186/s12870-026-09351-7

PMCPMC13573427

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