ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Heavy Metals and Nitrate Content in Tomato
Fruit Grown in Organic and Conventional
Production Systems
Zoran S. Ilić1, Nikolaos Kapoulas2, Ljubomir Šunić1,
Dragoljub Beković1,Nataša Mirecki3
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1Faculty of Agriculture Lešak, Kopaonička bb, 38219 Lešak, Serbia
2Regional Development Agency of Rodopi, Plastera K. Antoniadi, 69100 Komotini, Greece
3Biotecnical Faculty, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, Monte Negro
Submission date: 2014-02-06
Final revision date: 2014-03-12
Acceptance date: 2014-03-28
Publication date: 2014-12-16
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2014;23(6):2027-2032
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ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to investigate whether there were any differences in the heavy metals
and nitrate contents in organic and conventional tomatoes (Robin-F1, Amati-F1, and Elpida-F1). The tomato
as a fruit vegetable is not characterized by high accumulation of heavy metals and nitrates. We found significantly
greater concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu, and Ni in conventional tomatoes, but we found the growing
method to have no influence on cadmium Cd, Co, and Cr levels in all cultivars. In the present study, the detected
levels of contaminants were found to be markedly lower than the maximum limits allowed by law. The concentrations
of heavy metals in tomato fruit decreased in the order Zn>Pb>Cu>Cr>Ni>Co>Cd. This study confirms
that the most important variable in the nitrate content of tomatoes is cultivar. The lowest content of
nitrates is registered in the variety Elpida, especially in the organically fertilized (20 mg·kg-1). The nitrate content
in this study is presented as the average of all cultivars, and it was found to be lower in organic production
(29%-41%) compared to conventional production systems.