Background: Kenana Sugar Scheme (KSS), Sudan (110,000 feddan), reuses 30% drainage water (DR) after 2022 expansion, posing risk for root vegetables in direct contact with water.

Objective: To evaluate Cd and Pb accumulation in irrigation water (MC, BC, DR) and root vegetables (carrot, radish, beetroot), calculate Transfer Factor (TF), and assess health risk (HRI, THQ, HI) for adults and children.

Methods: 45 water and 45 root samples (5 farms × 3 species × 3 sites) collected winter 2024-2025. Metals analyzed by AAS after HNO3 digestion. Peel (2 mm) vs flesh separated. TF = C_plant/C_water. DIM, HRI, THQ, HI calculated per USEPA for adults (70 kg, IR 0.20 kg/day) and children (32 kg, 0.10 kg/day). Mitigation by peeling, 2% vinegar wash, boiling tested.

Results: Water quality deteriorated MC<BC<DR (p<0.001). DR water: Cd 0.015±0.003 mg/L and Pb 0.12±0.03 mg/L exceeding WHO (0.01 and 0.065) by 50% and 85%. Root vegetables DR: carrot Cd 2.1±0.3 and Pb 5.8±0.7 mg/kg DW, radish 1.8 and 4.9, beetroot 2.4 and 6.2, exceeding FAO/WHO FW limits (0.1 mg/kg) by 2-8x. Peel accumulates 2.3-2.5x flesh. TF: carrot Cd 1.15, radish 0.98, beetroot 1.22 (hyperaccumulator >1), Pb 0.41-0.52. Strong water-plant correlation (r=0.91 Cd, 0.88 Pb). Risk: HI adults carrot 1.56, radish 1.33, beetroot 2.01 >1 unsafe, HI children 3.24, 2.76, 4.18 >1 high risk, beetroot most hazardous. Cd contributes 55-65% HI. Peeling reduces Pb 35.5% and Cd 33.3%, vinegar+peel reduces Pb 48.4% and Cd 41.7%, but even after boiling HI children 1.96 >1 unsafe.

Conclusion: DR water unsuitable for root vegetables, beetroot is Cd hyperaccumulator, high health risk especially for children. Ban root vegetables within 500 m of DR, replace with fruit vegetables (tomato TF 0.12), reduce reuse to <20% with wetland treatment, implement monthly monitoring and train 5000 farmers, protecting 500,000 consumers and supporting SDGs 2 and 6.