Potential use of Solanum melongena in agricultural areas with high mercury background concentrations

Solanum melongena L. (eggplant) is a native culture from India, found throughout the world, and is one of the most popular vegetables in the Mediterranean area. This work evaluates the potential use of eggplant as an economic alternative in an area with high mercury background concentrations. This implies the study of several factors such as the mercury absorption capacity of eggplant and the capacity of the soil for agricultural use. The research work has been carried out using soil from the mercury mining district of Almadén (Spain), where total mercury concentration was on average 14.16 ± 0.65 mg kg−1. In this area, eggplant is a typical crop that is widely used for human consumption. The experimental work was performed in pots under greenhouse conditions. Three samplings were performed during the entire cultivation cycle. Mercury concentration was determined in the different plant organs, where the highest concentration was located in the root system. The results obtained show that the consumption of eggplant, growing under these controlled conditions, does not suppose a risk for human health according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization.