Almost pea planting time!
Here is an interesting new research article via PubMed on contaminants in New York City urban garden soil. The upshot is test your soil if you are starting a new garden, bring in fresh soil if needed and use raised beds.
Tests have not shown much contamination in our local soils unless you are in the path of the Asarco Smelter plume. To see if you are in the path and what to do about it, visit Public Health’s site here.
Lead (Pb) and other metals in New York City community garden soils: Factors influencing contaminant distributions.
Mitchell RG1, Spliethoff HM2, Ribaudo LN2, Lopp DM3, Shayler HA4, Marquez-Bravo LG2, Lambert VT3, Ferenz GS3, Russell-Anelli JM4, Stone EB5, McBride MB4.
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.
Environ Pollut. 2014 Feb 3;187C:162-169. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2014.01.007. [Epub ahead of print]
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