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

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2014-04, Vol.187, p.162-169
• Main Authors: Mitchell, Rebecca G., Spliethoff, Henry M., Ribaudo, Lisa N., Lopp, Donna M., Shayler, Hannah A., Marquez-Bravo, Lydia G., Lambert, Veronique T., Ferenz, Gretchen S., Russell-Anelli, Jonathan M., Stone, Edie B., McBride, Murray B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Cadmium; Cadmium - analysis; Communities; Community garden; Contaminants; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Exact sciences and technology; Exposure; Gardening; Gardens; Humans; Lead (metal); Lead (Pb) exposure; Lead - analysis; Medical sciences; Metals - analysis; New York City; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Pollution, environment geology; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Soil - chemistry; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil contaminants; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soils; Urban agriculture; Urban soil; Zinc; Zinc - analysis
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2014.01.007

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. •We measured metals concentrations in soil from 54 New York City community gardens.•Pb and Ba exceeded health-based guidance values in 9%–12% of garden beds.•Pb concentrations were similar to those in other studies of urban garden soils.•Pb and Ba were associated with Zn, with visible debris, and with non-raised beds.•Observable details can help gardeners focus testing and exposure reduction efforts. Pb and Ba, which exceeded health-based guidance values in 10–14% of NYC community garden soil samples, are associated with non-raised beds, visible debris, higher pH and Zn.