Assessing the environmental impact of heavy metals on soils caused by air discharge: an experimental analysis of chrome and cadmium accumulation in carrot crop in an airport area

In the last years, the environmental impact of heavy metals on soil quality and food safety, has begun an important problem in peri-urban area. The present study is aimed at providing an experimental analysis of chrome and cadmium accumulation on an indicator crop (carrot) in four farms close to the “Leonardo da Vinci” International Airport of Rome (Italy). Carrot crop is an important and traditional agricultural resource in the studied area. High concentration of Copper and Chrome was observed in the carrot leaves and is considered a proxy for heavy pollution. The high leave concentration of Copper is linked to intense pesticides treatments while the Chrome high concentration is due to the fall out of gases and particulate from airplane traffic. Assessing heavy metal contamination of crop in peri-urban areas is particularly interesting in the light of food safety and the permanence of a viable agriculture around cities.