Urban Farming: Lead Problems and Remediation Solutions

Urban Farm DB summary

A literature meta-analysis on lead contamination in urban farms was applied to Alemany Farm in San Francisco, California, where soil lead concentrations range from 60 to 720 ppm. It found that every food crop except tree fruits may pose a health risk if grown in Alemany Farm's soil. A phytoremediation plan using Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) to remove lead was found to exceed the farm's available budget, and its timescale made it impractical. The study concludes that phytoremediation is generally not feasible for small-scale urban farms and that other measures are needed to reduce lead exposure for urban farmers.