Assessment and Mitigation of Heavy Metals Uptake by Edible Vegetables Grown in a Turin Contaminated Soil Used as Vegetable Garden

In this study we evaluated the concentration of 22 elements, namely Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, La, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sr, Ti, V, Zn, and their uptake by edible plants in soils collected in a green urban area. The results highlighted a high yield of those heavy metals typical for anthropic pollution, such as Pb, Zn, Cu, Ba and Co, likely due to the intensive vehicular traffic. The uptake of metals by edible plants was analyzed on two broadleaf plants, Lactuca sativa and Brassica oleracea , grown in this soil and in an uncontaminated Turin soil in a growth chamber with and without the addition of a soil improver, provided by a local Organic Waste Treatment Plant. The subsequent analysis of their aerial part and roots highlighted the absorption of the main potentially toxic elements (PTEs) by the vegetables grown in the contaminated soil, whereas their concentration was lower if cultivated in the comparison soil, which was free of pollutants. The use of a soil amendment did not decrease the uptake of PTEs by Lactuca sativa and Brassica oleracea , but it caused a strong reduction in their translocation from the roots to the edible part, which consisted of the aerial part.