Database research record2026·United States (Indianapolis)
Community-Based Phytoremediation of Lead Contaminated Urban Garden Soil
Hailey E. Kirkland, Donovan G. Doolittle, Kamila Deavers
ACS Sustainable Resource Management
Urban Farm DB summary
A collaborative phytoremediation initiative was conducted in a 2-acre urban community garden in a low-income Indianapolis neighborhood to address lead-contaminated soil. Soil testing revealed lead concentrations between 100–400 ppm, leading to tailored crop and hyperaccumulator rotations. The integrated design successfully enabled both soil decontamination and continued crop supply, with lead concentration in one section reduced from 380 ± 47 ppm to 167 ± 52 ppm (p < 0.05) over two seasons. However, the community's immediate nutritional needs constrained complete lead removal.