[Heavy metal content (As, Pb, Cd, Hg) of vegetables which grow above ground and fruits (author's transl)].

157 samples from 16 varieties of vegetable, whose above ground tissues are consumed, and 83 samples from 6 varieties of fruit were examined by atomic absorption spectroscopy for arsenic, lead and mercury contamination. Leafy vegetables were found to be more heavily contaminated than the other vegetable varieties. Fruits without exception had less heavy metal than vegetables. The results obtained were compared with the guide line values of the German regulatory authority ZEBS and with the recommendations of WHO for weekly tolerance values for lead cadmium and mercury. It was determined that the average weekly exposure of the population of the BRD is below the maximum tolerance level.