Urban farm vegetables high in mercury, faecal content – Study reveals

An analysis of heavy metals and pathogen levels in vegetables grown using water from selected urban areas of the Greater Accra Metropolis has revealed that consumers face health risks linked to mercury (a heavy metal) and faecal coliforms.

The study, titled ‘Analysis of Heavy Metals and Pathogen Levels in Vegetables Cultivated Using Selected Water Bodies in Urban Areas of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA)’, was published in April 2024.

It examines the levels of heavy metals and faecal coliform in two vegetables, lettuce and bell pepper, cultivated using open-surface wastewater from drains and constructed reservoirs at various locations within GAMA.

However, the levels of Hg (≥0.309 μg/mg) and faecal coliform (>5 count/100 ml) in the vegetables from all three sites exceeded the WHO permissible limits.

The study concludes that consumers of vegetables from such urban farms are exposed to health risks associated with Hg and faecal coliforms.

The study indicates the need to intensify education on the health risks of consuming vegetables produced from open-surface water sources in the observed sites.

However, information on the levels of heavy metals and faecal coliform bacteria in such vegetables at selected sites, particularly in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) of Ghana, is scarce.