Toxic Metal Contamination in Vegetables: A Case Study from Roopnagar District with Comprehensive Elemental Analysis Using WD-XRF and Implications for Human Health

• Elemental analysis of 5 vegetables detected 26 metals via WD-XRF technique. • Samples showed variable metal loads in Roopnagar, Punjab, India. • Health risk assessment revealed both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks. • Findings call for urgent steps to curb metal contamination in vegetables. The accumulation of toxic metals (TMs) in vegetables presents a growing threat to food safety and public health, particularly in regions undergoing rapid urbanization and industrial activity, such as Roopnagar district in Punjab, India. Chronic dietary exposure to these contaminants can degrade nutritional quality and contribute to adverse health outcomes. and Materials: This study aimed to quantify the concentrations of toxic and trace metals in five frequently consumed vegetables— Capsicum annuum (bell pepper), Momordica charantia (bitter gourd), Solanum melongena (brinjal), Luffa acutangula (ridge gourd), and Abelmoschus esculentus (okra)—collected from Roopnagar district. Element profiling was conducted using Wavelength-Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF) spectroscopy. Excluding C, H, and O, a total of 23 elements were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed, including K, Cl, P, S, Ca, Mg, Si, Na, Fe, Al, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ru, Cr, Ni, Mo, Rb, Ti, Sr, Pd, Br, and Zr. Health risk assessment revealed the presence of both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks associated with metal accumulation, varying across vegetable types and sources. The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted mitigation strategies to control heavy metal contamination in the food chain. This is essential to ensure food safety and aligns with the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2), which advocates for zero hunger and improved nutrition worldwide.