**5. Toxicity in food crops**

Yields collect essential TE groups in both appealing and unpalatable portions. When compared to other crops, verdant greens collect large groups of TEs from contaminated soil [96]. Crops absorb Heavy metals from contaminated land and by barometrically measuring particle matter from a variety of origins. Heavy metals are absorbed from the roots and then transported to the various cells of the crops [96]. They are transported to many parts of the plant by multiple channels, resulting in degradation of the developmental characteristics of crops due to change in the metabolic, physiological and biochemical activities of crops [97, 98]. Presence of these harmful components in the harvests can present poisonous indications that has serious outcomes (**Figure 3**).

## **5.1 Adverse impacts on plant health**

The immediate impacts of TEs can cause catalyst inhibition of cytoplasm and underlying oxidative pressure can cause cell damage [99]. Plant is affected in a roundabout way by substituting important nutrients. TEs are present in variety of crops and its associated parts or even the entire plant [80]. Plant roots may easily absorb TEs

*Heavy Metal Contamination of Food Crops: Transportation via Food Chain, Human… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101938*

**Figure 3.** *Heavy metal toxicity in food crops.*

and transport them to the edible portion of the plant [100] High convergence of TEs present in the soil has a number of unfavorable effects on crops and, subsequently, human health [80, 101]. Heavy metals like Cd and Pb in crops are not essential, and when they are present in large amounts they accumulate in the crops, it disturbs ingestion and transportation system, disrupting opposition potential, electron move framework, photosynthesis, breath, digestion, enzymatic action, development, and propagation [102]. The presence of the heavy metal also indicated various effects on the crops. Effect of Pb. Cr, Hg and Cd were studied on maize tomato, garlic, rice, and reduced shoot length, reduced nutrient uptake, decrease germination percentage and lower plant protein content was reported by [103].
