AN ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METAL POLLUTION OF PLANT-BASED FOODS IN CITY OF YEREVAN.

The given article considers results of monitoring studies into heavy metal pollution of vegetables and mulberries grown in city of Yerevan. The underlying goal of this research was to provide ecological assessment of plant-based foods grown in private kitchen gardens in different parts of the city. The studies have indicated that in recent years a priority pollutant to vegetable crops and culinary herbs in the southern part of the city has been nickel. Concentrations of the rest of studied heavy metals were well lower than those detected in previous years and did not exceed allowable values. High concentrations of lead and mercury were established for mulberries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]