Lead contamination in urban gardens
Urban gardening is on the rise! It's a great way to get some exercise, and at the same time grow your own fresh vegetables. Unfortunately, contamination of the soil in urban gardens is a health concern that can put a halt to urban gardening. In order to ensure that your food is safe, it's important to be aware of potential contamination in soil, and use some simple strategies to make sure that your soil is clean and free of contamination. There are a variety of heavy metals that can contaminate your soil, but the Test Your Dirt initiative is focusing specifically on lead, because of the potential concerns for human health, and because lead can be common in many urban areas.
Lead (Pb) is a naturally occurring element that can be found in our environment (1). It is a neurotoxin that mainly affects the central nervous system. Lead is able to displace calcium ions in the body, and therefore disrupt signalling cascades that are normally triggered by calcium. Frequent exposure to large quantities of lead can lead to a variety of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease. In addition, lead can cause damage to other areas of body and cause problems such as muscle and joint pain, issues with fertility, and more. Although lead is detrimental to everyone, it is a greater health concern for children because their bodies absorb lead more readily than adults (1).
Many homes and buildings that were built before the 1950s used lead piping, and those that were built before the 1980s used lead paint; as a result, lead from the foundation of old homes can leech through the soil (1) In addition, soil that is near industrial sites, railroads, and busy streets may also be at risk of contamination. Traces of lead can even travel many kilometres, with the help of wind. In cities like Hamilton, with major railways, highways, and industry, it's important to test for lead in the soil before starting a food-producing garden (1).
Lead (Pb) is a naturally occurring element that can be found in our environment (1). It is a neurotoxin that mainly affects the central nervous system. Lead is able to displace calcium ions in the body, and therefore disrupt signalling cascades that are normally triggered by calcium. Frequent exposure to large quantities of lead can lead to a variety of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease. In addition, lead can cause damage to other areas of body and cause problems such as muscle and joint pain, issues with fertility, and more. Although lead is detrimental to everyone, it is a greater health concern for children because their bodies absorb lead more readily than adults (1).
Many homes and buildings that were built before the 1950s used lead piping, and those that were built before the 1980s used lead paint; as a result, lead from the foundation of old homes can leech through the soil (1) In addition, soil that is near industrial sites, railroads, and busy streets may also be at risk of contamination. Traces of lead can even travel many kilometres, with the help of wind. In cities like Hamilton, with major railways, highways, and industry, it's important to test for lead in the soil before starting a food-producing garden (1).
Soil contaminated by high concentrations of lead is a risk for everyone that touches or consumes it (2). In addition to risks associating with eating produce grown in contaminated soil, children and pets can ingest contaminated soil, as well as spread contamination by tracking dirt into homes (2). It is important to be proactive about preventing lead contamination in urban gardens by ensuring that the soil itself is clean and free from contamination! It is our hope that the soil test kits that are being used for this citizen science project will give you an insight on the level of safety of your own urban garden.
References
1. Sanders, T., Liu, Y., Buchner, V., & Tchounwou, P. B. (2009). Neurotoxic Effects and Biomarkers of Lead Exposure: A Review. Reviews on Environmental Health, 24(1), 15–45.
2. EPA. (2006, November 6). Protect Your Family. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov.
1. Sanders, T., Liu, Y., Buchner, V., & Tchounwou, P. B. (2009). Neurotoxic Effects and Biomarkers of Lead Exposure: A Review. Reviews on Environmental Health, 24(1), 15–45.
2. EPA. (2006, November 6). Protect Your Family. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov.
