Assessment of Health Risk Due to Consumption of Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) Cultivated with Heavy Metal Polluted Water of Bhabadah Water-Logged Area of Bangladesh

Spinach is a commonly grown tropical vegetable having high metal-accumulating capacity, which might cause human health problems. This study aimed to assess heavy metal contamination in surface water and spinach samples collected from the water-logged area of Bhabadah in the Khulna division of Bangladesh. A total of 24 locations were selected. Chemical analyses were performed using appropriate methodologies. The levels of Cd in water samples were 0.0092 ± 0.004 mg L −1 which was above the allowable drinking limit and did not meet public health standards. The average level of Pb was within acceptable limits. In spinach samples, the average levels of Zn, Pb, Cd, and Cu were 96.63 ± 34.53, 12.72 ± 13.33, 0.43 ± 0.30, 21.43 ± 5.93 μg g −1 , respectively. The level of Pb and Cd exceeded the prescribed limit for the vegetables in more than 70% of the total spinach samples. The Cr content was below the detectable threshold. The daily metal intake for both males and females was more than the tolerable intake limit for Pb and Cd, whereas, cumulative incremental lifetime cancer risk for males and females are 2.02 E − 03 and 2.27 E − 03, respectively. This implies that more than two persons per thousand are at risk of cancer as a result of long-term intake of contaminated spinach in the Bhabadah region. According to this study, water and spinach contribute to the contamination of food chains and increase the risk of cancer caused by the presence of heavy metals. This heightened risk requires prompt action to alleviate this situation and increase overall public awareness of food safety.