Lead (Pb) and other metals in New York City community garden soils: Factors influencing contaminant distributions

Abstract

Urban gardens provide affordable fresh produce to communities with limited access to healthy food but may also increase exposure to lead (Pb) and other soil contaminants. Metals analysis of 564 soil samples from 54 New York City (NYC) community gardens found at least one sample exceeding health-based guidance values in 70% of gardens. However, most samples (78%) did not exceed guidance values, and medians were generally below those reported in NYC soil and other urban gardening studies. Barium (Ba) and Pb most frequently exceeded guidance values and along with cadmium (Cd) were strongly correlated with zinc (Zn), a commonly measured nutrient. Principal component analysis suggested that contaminants varied independently from organic matter and geogenic metals. Contaminants were associated with visible debris and a lack of raised beds; management practices (e.g., importing uncontaminated soil) have likely reduced metals concentrations. Continued exposure reduction efforts would benefit communities already burdened by environmental exposures.

Chemical and biological methods to evaluate the availability of heavy metals in soils of the Siena urban area (Italy)

“…These heavy metals reached their highest levels (EF N 2) in soils collected in urban and peri-urban areas, with peaks mainly in urban sites characterized by stop-and-go traffic near traffic lights, crossings and roundabouts. These findings suggest that Sb and Pb contents in contaminated soils were strongly influenced by vehicle traffic, as shown by other studies (Li et al, 2014;Mitchell et al, 2014;Wiseman et al, 2015).…”

Integrating Horticulture into Cities: A Guide for Assessing the Implementation Potential of Rooftop Greenhouses (RTGs) in Industrial and Logistics Parks

“…Among other issues, these principles consider integrated pest management and plant hygiene procedures, which include the use of living organisms for biological control to reduce the use of pesticides. Finally, the use of rooftops for food production avoids the most common food risk in urban agriculture: soil contamination and the consequent bioaccumulation of metals (Bugdalski et al, 2013;Clark et al, 2008;Kessler, 2013;Mitchell et al, 2014;Mok et al, 2013;Swartjes et al, 2013). Regarding air pollution, although it affects vegetation by accumulating trace metals, it depends on the location of the agricultural activity and, specifically, on the distance to traffic hotspots (Bell et al, 2011, Säumel et al, 2012.…”

A critical physical geography of urban soil contamination

“…Disproportionately impacting the poor and people of color, soil Pb contamination is thus an issue of environmental justice (Krieger and Higgins, 2002;Mielke et al, 2007;Sutton et al, 1995). Such concerns have given rise to a substantial body of soil analysis and geochemical mapping work (Mielke et al, 2007;Mitchell et al, 2014;Wu et al, 2010;Zhuo et al, 2012). Most of this important work is conventional in its approach, correlating geospatial and geochemical data to demonstrate the inequitable burden of soil Pb contamination and exposure.…”