Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Uranium in vegetable foodstuffs: should residents near the Cunha Baixa uranium mine site (Central Northern Portugal) be concerned?

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Environmental Geochemistry and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Large uranium accumulations in vegetable foodstuffs may present risks of human health if they are consumed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the uranium concentrations in different vegetable foodstuffs and grown in agricultural soils, which are then consumed by the residents of the village of Cunha Baixa (Portugal),—located in an former uranium mining area. This study was conducted to address concerns expressed by the local farmers as well as to provide data for uranium-related health risk assessments for the area. Soils, irrigation water and edible tissues of lettuce, potato, green bean, carrot, cabbage, apple and maize (Latuca sativa L., Solanum tuberosum L., Phaseolus vulgaris L., Daucus carota L., Brassica oleracea L., Malus domestica Borkh, Zea mays L., respectively) were sampled and uranium determined. High uranium concentrations were found in some soils (Utotal > 50 mg/kg), in irrigation waters (218 to 1,035 μg/l) and in some vegetable foodstuffs (up to 234, 110, 30, 26, 22, 16 and 1.6 μg/kg fresh weight for lettuce, potato with peel, green bean pods, cabbage, corn, carrot and apple, respectively). However, the results of the toxicity hazard analysis were reassuring the estimated level of uranium exposure through the ingestion of these vegetable foodstuffs was low, suggesting no chemical health risk (hazard quotient <1) to this uranium exposure pathway for a local residents during their lifetime, even for the most sensitive part of the population (child).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Actlabs, Activation Laboratories Ltd. (2009). http:/www.actalabsint.com. Accessed 4 Dec 2009.

  • Amrhein, C., Mosher, P. A., & Brown, A. D. (1993). The effects of redox on Mo, U, B, V, and As solubility in evaporation ponds. Soil Science, 155(4), 249–255.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anke, M., Seeber, O., Müller, R., Schäfer, U., & Zerull, J. (2009). Uranium transfer in the food chain from soil to plants, animals and man. Chemie Erde-Geochemistry, 69, 75–90.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • ANZECC, Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council. (2000). Water quality guidelines. Quality for irrigation and general uses. http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/water/anzecc-water-quality-guide-02/anzecc-water-quality-guide-02-pdfs.html. Accessed 7 March 2010.

  • Araújo, M. F., Barbosa, T., Madruga, M. J., & Faria, I. (2001). Dispersão de contaminantes e sua transferência no sistema solo-planta nas escombreiras da mina de urânio da Urgeiriça (pp. 567–573). Beja: Actas Congresso Internacional Sobre Património Geológico e Mineiro.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bearman, P. J. (1979). A review of the environmental problems associated with the disposal of uranium tailings. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 1(2), 64–74.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carta de Solos. (1978). Unidades Pedológicas segundo o esquema da FAO para a Carta dos Solos da Europa (escala 1:1000 000). Portugal: Atlas de Ambiente, Comissão Nacional do Ambiente.

    Google Scholar 

  • CCME, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. (2007). Canadian soil quality guidelines for uranium: environmental and human health. Scientific supporting document. CCME, Winnipeg. http://www.ccme.ca/assets/pdf/uranium_ssd_soil_1.2.pdf. Accessed 25 January 2010.

  • Choudhury, S., Boruah, M., & Goswami, T. D. (1992). Estimation of uranium in some edible and commercial plants. Defense Science Journal, 42(4), 241–243.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DL, Decree Law 236/98, Portuguese Legislation on Water Quality, DR nº 176/98, annexes XVI and XXI.

  • Domingo, J. L., Paternain, J. M., Llobet, J. M., & Corbella, J. (1989). The developmental toxicity of uranium in mice. Toxicology, 55, 143–152.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dushenkov, S., Vasudev, D., Kapulnik, Y., Gleba, D., Fleisher, D., Ting, K. C., et al. (1997). Removal of uranium from water using terrestrial plants. Environmental Science Technology, 31(12), 3468–34574.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • EFSA, European Food Safety Authority. (2009). Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain on a requested from German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) on uranium in foodstuff, in particular mineral water. EFSA Journal, 1018, 1–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira, M. J. S. (2007). Toxicidade de solos uraníferos em cogumelos e plantas comestíveis. MSc Dissertation, University of Aveiro, Portugal.

  • Gilman, A. P., Moss, M. A., Villeneuve, D. C., Secours, V. E., Yagminas, A. P., Tracy, B. L., et al. (1998). Uranyl nitrate: 91-day exposure and recovery studies in the male New Zealand white rabbit. Toxicological Sciences, 41, 138–151.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, J. W., Blaylock, M. J., Kapulnik, Y., & Densley, B. D. (1998). Phytoremediation of uranium-contaminated soils: Role of organic acids in triggering uranium hyperaccumulation in plants. Environmental Science and Technology, 32, 2004–2008.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IRIS, Integrated Risk Information System. (2008). Uranium, soluble salts. http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/o421.htm. Accessed 18 Oct 2008.

  • Jones, R. L. (1992). Uranium and phosphorous contents in Morrow plot soils over 82 years. Communications Soil Science Plant Analysis, 23(1–2), 67–73.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kurttio, P., Auvinen, A., Salonen, L., Saha, H., Pekkanen, J., Mäkeläinen, I., et al. (2002). Renal effects of uranium in drinking water. Environmental Health Perspective, 110, 337–342.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kurttio, P., Komulainen, H., Leino, A., Salonen, L., Auvinen, A., & Saha, H. (2005). Bone as possible target of chemical toxicity of natural uranium in drinking water. Environmental Health Perspective, 113, 68–72.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lakshmanan, A. R., & Venkateswarlu, K. S. (1988). Uptake of uranium by vegetables and rice. Water Air Soil Pollution, 38, 151–155.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neves, O. (2002). Minas desactivadas e impactos geoquímicos ambientais. O caso da mina de urânio da Cunha Baixa (Viseu). Ph.D. Dissertation, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal.

  • Neves, O., Abreu, M. M., & Matias, M. J. (2003). Uranium, aluminium and manganese behaviour in maize grown in soils of uranium Cunha Baixa mine–site. Memórias e Notícias, 2(Nova Série), 265–278.

  • Neves, O., Abreu, M. M., & Matias, M. J. (2009). Uranium distribution in the solid phases of soils from Cunha Baixa mining site (Portugal). Revista de Ciências Agrárias, XXXI(1), 195–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neves, O., Abreu, M. M., & Vicente, E. M. (2008). Uptake of uranium by lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in natural uranium contaminated soils in order to assess chemical risk for consumers. Water Air Soil Pollution, 195, 73–84.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neves, O., & Matias, M. J. (2008). Assessment of groundwater quality and contamination problems ascribed to an abandoned uranium mine (Cunha Baixa region, Central Portugal). Environmental Geology, 53(8), 1799–1810.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Póvoas, I., & Barral, M. F. (1992). Métodos de análise de Solos. Comunicações Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical. Série Ciências Agrárias, 10, 41–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos Oliveira, J. M., & Ávila, P. F. (2001). Geoquímica na área envolvente da mina da Cunha Baixa (Mangualde, no centro de Portugal). Estudos, Notas e Trabalhos, 43, 25–47.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schollenberger, C. J., & Simon, R. H. (1945). Determination of exchange capacity and exchangeable bases in soil-ammonium acetate method. Soil Science, 59, 13–24.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shahandeh, H., & Hossner, L. (2002). Role of soil properties in phytoaccumulation of uranium. Water Air Soil Pollution, 141, 165–180.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shtangeeva, I. (2008). Uptake of uranium and thorium by native and cultivated plants. Journal Environmental Radioactivity, 101(6), 458–463.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takeda, A., Tsukada, H., Takaku, Y., Hisamatsu, S., & Nanzyo, M. (2006). Accumulation of uranium derived from long-term fertilizer application in a cultivated Andisol. Science Total Environment, 367(2–3), 924–931.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA, US Environmental Protection Agency. (1997). Exposure factors handbook. EPS/600/P-95/002Fa, Vol. 1. US Environmental Protection Agency. Washington, DC. http://www.epa.gov/ncea/pdfs/efh/front.pdf. Accessed 5 April 2007.

  • USEPA, US Environmental Protection Agency. (2000). Handbook for non-cancer health effects evaluation. US Environmental Protection Agency.Washington, DC. http://www.epa.gov/osa/spc/noncancer.htm. Accessed 5 April 2007.

  • WHO, World Health Organization. (2001) Depleted uranium: sources, exposure and health effects. Department of Protection of the Human Environment. WHO/SDE/PHE/01.1. http://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/en/du/en. Accessed 10 Dec 2009.

  • WHO, World Health Organization. (2005). Uranium in drinking water. background document for development of WHO guidelines for drinking water quality. WHO/SDE/03.04/118. http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/chemicals/uranium/en. Accessed 10 Dec 2009.

  • Zamora, M. L., Tracy, B. L., Zielinski, J. M., Meyerhof, D. P., & Moss, M. A. (1998). Chronic ingestion of uranium in drinking water: a study of kidney bioeffects in humans. Toxicological Sciences, 43, 395–398.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work has been supported by the Program POCI 2010 and FEDER European Communitarian Funds (Research Project POCI/ECM/59188/2004) and by the Centre of Petrology and Geochemistry of Technical University of Lisbon (Portugal).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Petrologia e Geoquímica, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (TULisbon), Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisboa, Portugal

    M. O. Neves

  2. Unidade de Investigação de Química Ambiental, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (TULisbon), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, Portugal

    M. M. Abreu

  3. Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (TULisbon), Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisboa, Portugal

    V. Figueiredo

Authors
  1. M. O. Neves
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. M. Abreu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. V. Figueiredo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. O. Neves.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Neves, M.O., Abreu, M.M. & Figueiredo, V. Uranium in vegetable foodstuffs: should residents near the Cunha Baixa uranium mine site (Central Northern Portugal) be concerned?. Environ Geochem Health 34, 181–189 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-011-9428-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-011-9428-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation