Accumulation and health risk of heavy metals in a plot-scale vegetable production system in a peri-urban vegetable farm near Nanjing, China

•Heavy metals accumulation in vegetable soils was mainly from organic fertilizer.•Intensive vegetable production resulted in accumulation of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn.•Key factors of heavy metal uptake were management pattern and vegetable species.•Excessive heavy metals in vegetables could present some potential health risk.•Children had greater potential health risk than that to adults.

Accumulation and potential health risk of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in a plot-scale vegetable production peri-urban area near Nanjing city, China was investigated through element balance method, model simulation and dietary risk assessment. The heavy metals accumulated in the surface soils were due to long-term and heavy application of organic fertilizers, among which the accumulation of Cu and Zn were greater than those of Cd and Pb. The result of a mass balance model simulation indicated that intensive vegetable production would result in accumulation of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in soils exceeding the target values in 55, 36, 34 and 71 years, respectively. The estimated dietary intakes of Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn were far below the tolerable limits and the hazard quotient values were below one for both children and adults. Although there is no imminent health risk from heavy metals through vegetable consumption, more attention should be paid to the long-term accumulation and risk, especially for children.