Ghiyath H. Soliman1*
1Department of family and community medicine, faculty of medicine, tartous university, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Dr. Ghiyath H. Soliman, Email: dr.gheath1983@gmail.com, Mobile: 00963966892190).
Received: 18/ 11/ 2025 Accepted: 22/04 / 2026
Abstract:
Elevated concentrations of nitrates and nitrites in food and water pose significant risks to human health and the environment. This study aims to evaluate the levels of nitrates and nitrites in greenhouse-grown tomatoes in the coastal region of Syria. One hundred tomato samples were randomly collected from 50 greenhouses (two samples per greenhouse) across ten villages in Sahil Akkar, Tartous, Syria. A detailed information card was prepared for each greenhouse, documenting the greenhouse area, the types of fertilizers used, and the irrigation water source. Water samples were analyzed using a colorimeter, and nitrate and nitrite concentrations in the tomato samples were measured using a spectrophotometer. The findings revealed that the highest nitrate concentration was recorded in samples from Riyaf (307.87 mg/kg), while the lowest was detected in samples from A. Zibdi (101.26 mg/kg). Similarly, the highest nitrite concentration was observed in Riyaf (0.058 mg/kg), whereas the lowest was found in Dkaiki (0.066 mg/kg). The elevated nitrate and nitrite levels in the greenhouse samples may be attributed to the use of irrigation water containing high concentrations of these compounds, combined with the excessive application of mineral and organic fertilizers.
Keywords: Nitrates, Nitrites, Tomatoes, Fertilizer, Greenhouse.
Full paper in Arabic: PDF