Heavy metal accumulation, organ-level partitioning and dietary risk in orchard species cultivated around an iron mine (Bingöl, Türkiye)

Purpose This study quantified ten heavy metals (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in branch, leaf and fruit tissues of nine perennial orchard species ( Pyrus communis, Rubus fruticosus, Fragaria × a nanassa, Morus alba, Malus domestica, Juglans regia, Prunus domestica, Prunus armeniaca and Vitis vinifera ) grown around an iron mine in Genç, Bingöl, Türkiye, and assessed organ-level partitioning, soil–plant transfer and fruit-consumption risk. Methods Triplicate samples from the 2024 growing season were subjected to microwave-assisted acid digestion and analysed by ICP-MS (validated by R², LOD and LOQ). Bioaccumulation factors, target hazard quotients (THQ), hazard indices (HI) and cancer risk (CR) were calculated on dry- and fresh-weight bases under a fully specified exposure scenario with intake sensitivity analysis. Chromium was excluded from quantitative interpretation, all values being below the tissue-equivalent LOQ. Two-way ANOVA with Tukey’s HSD test was used descriptively, its diagnostic output being unavailable. Results Concentrations were generally higher in leaves and branches than in fruit; Fe (395.7–652.7 mg kg − ¹) and Al (60.1–182.9 mg kg − ¹) dominated, whereas Cd (<0.04 mg kg − ¹) and As (<0.08 mg kg − ¹) remained low in every tissue. Blackberry accumulated most metals most strongly; walnut and pear the least. All metals except Fe were below WHO/FAO limits. Dry-weight fruit HI ranged from 0.76 (apple) to 8.67 (blackberry), exceeding unity in eight species; on a fresh-weight basis only blackberry (1.04) and walnut (2.93) did. Under a documented adult scenario (70 kg body weight; 0.1–0.3 kg fresh fruit day − ¹), HI from organ-mean fruit concentrations was 0.32–0.95 and total CR 1.4–4.3 × 10 −5 , both below thresholds, with Fe contributing about half. Soil trace metals were 1–21% of Turkish soil means, indicating no multi-element enrichment. Conclusions Produce grown near mining operations warrants routine monitoring. Pear and apple, combining low tissue concentrations and dietary hazard, are the safer choices. Walnut accumulated little in vegetative organs, yet its species-level HI remained above unity, driven largely by copper, an essential element naturally concentrated in kernels. Blackberry, mulberry and strawberry are the most responsive indicator species, pending confirmation against a reference site. The orchards warrant periodic monitoring rather than restriction.