Ornamental Date Palm and Sidr Trees: Fruit Elements Composition ‎and Concerns Regarding Consumption

ABSTRACT Ornamental date palm and sidr trees growing near or within urban areas are exposed to heavy metals (HMs) contamination. This study aimed to determine the elemental composition and HMs concentrations of fruits from ornamental date palm and sidr trees to evaluate their relative safety for human/animal consumption. The results showed that while these fruits contain varying quantities of essential nutrients (macro and trace elements), the concentrations of macro elements and trace elements in the fruits varied significantly depending on location. The concentrations levels were within the acceptable limits and thus safe. Heavy metals were also present in the fruits at different locations. The concentrations of the HMs were within the permissible limits in the majority of the locations, with the exception of some samples collected from sites with increased traffic density; which had lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd), concentrations above the permissible limits. Washing the fruits reduced the load of HMs contamination in most of the samples; however, the concentrations were still above the maximum allowable limits (MAL) in highly contaminated samples. Accordingly, fruits produced by ornamental date palm and sidr trees may pose some risk for human and animal consumption depending on the location and contamination level of specific HMs.