Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in New York City community garden soils: Potential sources and influential factors
Lydia G. Marquez‐Bravo, Dean B. Briggs, Hannah A. Shayler, Murray B. McBride, Donna Lopp, Edie B. Stone, Gretchen Ferenz, Kenneth G. Bogdan, R. G. Mitchell, Henry M. Spliethoff
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Urban Farm DB summary
A study analyzed 69 soil samples from 20 community gardens in New York City for 23 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and black carbon, sampling both non-growing areas and vegetable-growing beds, including beds with and without visible PAH sources, at each garden. The sum of the US EPA's 16 priority PAHs reached up to 150 mg/kg, with a median of 5.4 mg/kg and mean of 14.2 mg/kg, similar to levels previously reported for urban areas in the northeastern United States. Isomer ratios indicated petroleum, coal and wood combustion as the main sources, and PAH concentrations were significantly and positively associated with black carbon and modeled air PAH concentrations, suggesting a link between historical atmospheric deposition and current soil PAH levels. Median PAH concentration in non-bed areas (7.4 mg/kg) was higher than in beds from the same gardens (4.0 mg/kg) and significantly higher than in beds without visible PAH sources (3.5 mg/kg); beds in gardens with records of soil amendments had 58% lower median PAH concentration than beds in gardens without such records, suggesting that gardening practices in beds without visible sources contribute to reducing soil PAH concentrations.