Abstract
Wastewater is a source of some nutrients essential for soil fertility, but it includes various types of contaminants like heavy metals that pollute the soil and crops. In this regard, this study aimed to evaluate the possible health risks of copper (Cu) accumulation in forages irrigated with wastewater. Forages both of summer and winter were grown with different water treatments (sewage water and tap water) in the Department of Botany, University of Sargodha. The concentrations of copper in water, root and forage samples were determined. Moreover, the bioconcentration factor, pollution load index, daily intake of metals and health risk index were calculated. In tap water, the copper value was 0.072 mg(-1) and that in sewage water 0.077 mg L-1. In soil, the calculated copper value was lower than the USEPA standards The maximum copper in root was determined in winter forages (0.208 mg kg(-1)). The maximum bioaccumulation factor for copper was observed in Trifolium resupinatum (8.2230) grown in winter. The maximum pollution load for copper was found in Brassica campestris (0.2853) grown in winter. The maximum value for the daily intake of metals observed was 0.045, and maximum observed health risk index was 1.136.