Community‐Engaged Assessment of Soil Lead Contamination in Atlanta Urban Growing Spaces

Peters, Samuel J. W.; Warner, Sydney M.; Saikawa, Eri; Ryan, P. Barry; Panuwet, Parinya; Barr, Dana Boyd; DʼSouza, Priya; Frank, Gil; Hernandez, Rosario; Alvarado, Taranji; Hines, Arthur; Theal, Chris

doi:10.1029/2022gh000674

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…eases or enriching soils, thereby contributing to improved crop yields (Crews et al, 2018;Iverson et al, 2014;Ngapo et al, 2021). However, as urban agriculture gains traction in cities plagued by an industrial past, involved residents become more aware of the situation and raise legitimate concerns about soil contamination exceeding local guidelines for open-field cultivation, a phenomenon that may ultimately contribute to the failure of community food production enterprises (Beausoleil, 2010;Laidlaw et al, 2018;Lewis & Rosales, 2020;Peters et al, 2023;Wortman & Lovell, 2013).…”

Section: Core Ideasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can we simultaneously decontaminate and cultivate? An urban cherry tomato story

Viau,

Paul,

Labrecque

2023

Urban Agric & Regnl Food Sys

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Urban planners are increasingly focused on integrating urban farming as a creative strategy for producing sustainable, local food in underutilized spaces, once occupied by polluting industries, in peri‐urban areas. However, before urban farming's contribution to local self‐sufficiency can be determined, it is crucial to gather quantitative data on the effectiveness of tailored strategies, including polyculture, and the suitability of different vegetables, to adequately assess the value of brownfields. This study aims to provide quantitative agronomic data on a copper‐contaminated urban garden with the dual objective of assessing its capacity for food production and mitigating the spread of soil contamination. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants were grown for one growing season in brownfield soils with different copper concentrations (up to 2000 mg kg−1), accompanied by different plant species assemblages typically used in phytoremediation (Achillea millefolium, Salix discolor, and Trifolium repens). The most successful assemblage yielded over 800 fruits per square meter with low copper concentrations (<5 mg kg−1), indicating that one square meter could satisfy the annual fresh tomato weight requirement of an average individual. Although some amendments can improve adaptability to local soils, the highest fruit‐producing assemblage consisting of S. lycopersicum, S. discolor, and T. repens also proved to be the one of the most effective for copper phytoextraction, removing over 30 g ha−1 from the contaminated soils. Overall, the data indicated that all assemblages phytostabilized copper. The quantitative results of this study provide a valuable benchmark for urban planners and researchers to implement large‐scale urban agriculture on brownfield sites.

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Section: Core Ideasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can we simultaneously decontaminate and cultivate? An urban cherry tomato story

Viau,

Paul,

Labrecque

2023

Urban Agric & Regnl Food Sys

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“…The collection of road dust, soil, and wipe samples are amenable to community-led or community-based research given the ease of sampling, the low cost of XRF analyses (~USD 10/sample), and the simple and easy-to-understand procedures, which also promote inclusion and community involvement [39]. In cases, citizen groups have used these techniques to collect and analyze thousands of samples [11,40]; this scale is infeasible without volunteers, and it allows both zone and grid-based sampling approaches [41].…”

Section: Fd Monitoring and Community-based Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fugitive Dust Associated with Scrap Metal Processing

Gearhart,

Sagovac,

Xia

et al. 2023

Environments

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Fugitive dust (FD) is a nuisance and potential health issue, particularly in environmental justice communities that can experience high levels of contaminated FD. This community-initiated study examined FD from a scrap metal processor in Detroit, Michigan, to determine whether the FD was contaminated, how it migrated through the community, whether wipe or composite road dust samples were preferable, and whether literature profiles adequately characterized this source. The study was motivated by community concerns, as well as a massive subsidence/upheaval event resulting from excessive accumulation of mill scale, which is a type of scrap metal, at the facility. We collected 57 wipe samples from windows and other surfaces, and 20 composite road dust and surface soil samples, which were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence. Concentrations were expressed using the fraction of the reconstructed mass. We also compared results to air quality monitoring data and calculated pollution indices and enrichment factors. Samples collected near the processor had high levels of Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Sr, and Zn compared with background soils, and levels remained elevated in residential areas several blocks distant. Composite road dust/sediment samples appeared preferable to wipe samples for chemical characterization. The available chemical profiles did not match the FD composition, suggesting the need for local profiles. The high level of Fe, which is consistent with mill scale, was a novel finding and caused the road dust to exceed health protection screening levels. Numerous metal scrap facilities operate locally and nationally, and our results show the need to improve controls to limit or eliminate FD emissions from industrial sources using enforced policies that reduce dust generation and truck track-out.

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“…In 2018, Emory University researchers, in partnership with community partner Historic Westside Gardens, discovered Pb contamination and slag, which are wastes from smelting, in residential and garden soil within the Westside of Atlanta neighborhoods. This finding has led to an United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation, and this contamination site was listed on the National Priorities List on 16 March 2022 (Peters et al., 2023 ). There is no safe Pb level for children and so any soil Pb concentrations can be considered a health risk to residents, especially young children that may accidently ingest or inhale contaminated soil and dust.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phytoremediation of Lead‐Contaminated Soil in the Westside of Atlanta, GA

Yao,

Saikawa,

Warner

et al. 2023

GeoHealth

Self Cite

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Phytoremediation has been explored as a cost‐effective method to remediate soil Pb contamination. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Vigna unguiculata, Brassica pekinensis, Gomphrena globose, and Helianthus annuus for removing and immobilizing Pb in soil collected from the Westside Lead Superfund site in Atlanta. Plants were cultivated in sampled soil with a Pb concentration of 515 ± 10 mg/kg for 60 days. Soils growing H. annuus were additionally treated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (0.1 g/kg) or compost (20% soil blend) to assess their capabilities for enhancing phytoremediation. Mean post‐phytoremediation Pb concentrations in the four plant species were 23.5, 25.7, 50.0, and 58.1 mg/kg dry weight (DW), respectively, and were substantially higher than 1.55 mg/kg DW in respective plant species grown in control soils with no Pb contamination. The highest Pb concentration, translocation factor, and biomass were found in V. unguiculate among four species without soil amendments. H. annuus treated with EDTA and compost resulted in a significant increase in the total Pb uptake and larger biomass compared to non‐treated plants, respectively. Although this study found that V. unguiculata was the best candidate for Pb accumulation and immobilization among four species, soil remediation was limited to 54 mg/kg in a growing season. We find that it is critically important to perform phytostabilization in a secure manner, since Pb bioavailability of edible plant parts implies the potential risk associated with their unintentional consumption. Efficiently and effectively remediating Pb‐contaminated soils in a low‐cost manner needs to be further studied.

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Community‐Engaged Assessment of Soil Lead Contamination in Atlanta Urban Growing Spaces

Cited by 5 publications

References 49 publications

Can we simultaneously decontaminate and cultivate? An urban cherry tomato story

Can we simultaneously decontaminate and cultivate? An urban cherry tomato story

Fugitive Dust Associated with Scrap Metal Processing

Phytoremediation of Lead‐Contaminated Soil in the Westside of Atlanta, GA

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