Risk assessment of human exposure to lead and cadmium in maize grains cultivated in soils irrigated either with low-quality water or freshwater.

•Levels of lead and cadmium in agriculture soil were affected by its levels in irrigation water.•Levels of lead and cadmium in maize grians irrigated with low-quality water were higher than that irrigated with freshwter (about 19-30 folds).•Levels of Pb and Cd concentrations in maize grains irrigated with low-quality water were above the permissible limits as 0.2 and 0.1 mg kg-1, respectively according to WHO/FAO.•The determined HRI values for both maize grains irrigated with low-quality water and freshwater were <1.