Lead concentrations in inner-city soils as a factor in the child lead problem

Soil samples were randomly collected from 422 vegetable gardens in a study area centered in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, and having a radius of 48.28 km (30 miles). The levels of lead, four other metals (cadmium, copper, nickel, and zinc), and pH were measured for each location. The application of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of public health (1971) 1983-12, Vol.73 (12), p.1366-1369
Main Authors: Mielke, H W, Anderson, J C, Berry, K J, Mielke, P W, Chaney, R L, Leech, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child, Preschool
Environmental pollutants toxicology
General aspects
Humans
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Infant
Lead - analysis
Lead Poisoning - epidemiology
Maryland
Medical sciences
Soil - analysis
Toxicology
Urban Population
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Summary:Soil samples were randomly collected from 422 vegetable gardens in a study area centered in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, and having a radius of 48.28 km (30 miles). The levels of lead, four other metals (cadmium, copper, nickel, and zinc), and pH were measured for each location. The application of multi-response permutation procedures, which are compatible with mapping techniques, reveals that lead (as well as cadmium, copper, nickel, and zinc) is concentrated and ubiquitous within the soils of the inner-city area of Metropolitan Baltimore. The probability values that the concentration of metals occurred by chance alone vary from about 10(-15) to 10(-23) depending on the metal considered. Our findings pose environmental and public health issues, especially to children living within the inner-city.
ISSN:0090-0036
1541-0048
DOI:10.2105/AJPH.73.12.1366