Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
339 results(13 / 14)
Heavy metal contamination of vegetables and fruits from Bangalore city
2008Seyed Esmaeil Mahdavian, R. Somashekar · ePrints@Bangalore University (Bangalore University) · India (Bangalore)
A study in Bangalore city, India, showed that urban consumers are at greater risk of purchasing fresh fruits with high levels of heavy metals beyond the legally permissible limits defined by the Indian Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. These national norms are less strict than international food safety standards.
Contamination & food safetyHealthFood sovereignty & justiceContaminação do Solo por Parasitas e Ocorrência de Doenças Intestinais
2008Andréa Andreis, Graziela Maria Schuh, Rejane Giacomelli Tavares · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Novo Hamburgo)
An evaluation of parasite contamination in playground soils at Horta Comunitária Joanna de Angelis in Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil, detected rhabditoid larvae in 33% of soil samples. An enteroparasitological survey (n=22) confirmed parasitism in 59.10% of samples. However, it was not possible to establish a correlation between the presence of parasitosis in children and in the soil.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityPerceptions of farmers on health risks and risk reduction measures in wastewater‐irrigated urban vegetable farming in Ghana
2008Bernard Keraita, Pay Drechsel, Flemming Konradsen · Journal of Risk Research · Ghana
A study in Ghana used participatory research methods to summarize farmers' perceptions of health risks and risk reduction measures in urban vegetable farming irrigated with untreated wastewater. Farmers were aware of health risks from wastewater, perceiving occupational skin infections as the greatest risk, while consumer health risks were rated very low. Many international risk reduction measures were deemed unsuitable by farmers, who preferred simple, low-cost alternatives.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityFaecal bacterial indicators removal in various wastewater treatment plants located in Almendares River watershed (Cuba)
2008Tamara García–Armisen, Josué Prats, Yociel Marrero, Pierre Servais · Water Science & Technology · Cuba (Havana)
The Almendares River in Havana, Cuba, receives wastewater from over 200,000 inhabitants, resulting in very poor microbiological water quality downstream due to high faecal bacterial indicators (FBIs). This water is used for urban agriculture and recreation, despite not meeting microbiological standards. This study compared FBI removal in three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs): a conventional facility, a constructed wetland (CW), and a solar aquatic system (SAS). Natural systems (CW and SAS) showed approximately two log units higher FBI removal efficiency than the conventional plant. The large conventional WWTP was found to have a negative impact on the river's microbiological quality.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityClimate changeAssessment of heavy metal contamination and macro-nutrient content of compose for environmental pollution control in Ghana.
2008J.N. Hogard, Julius N. Fobil, Godfred K. Ofosu-Budu, D. Carboo, Nii‐Ayi Ankrah, Alexander K. Nyarko · · Ghana
This study in Ghana investigated the macro-nutrient content and heavy metal concentrations in solid waste composts to assess their potential for soil fertility amelioration and health implications in urban and peri-urban agriculture. Overall NPK concentration was low, with agricultural waste composts showing higher total N, K, and organic carbon than municipal solid waste (MSW) composts. Heavy metal concentrations for Ni, Zn, Cu, and Cd were generally low and within Australian standards. However, lead (Pb) concentration in mixed MSW composts was significantly high during the dry season, exceeding the Australian limit of 150 mg/kg Pb for unrestricted use. Seasons and composting processes were found to be important determinants of toxic metal concentrations in final compost products.
Contamination & food safetyCompostHealthOrganic cycleUsing on-farm sedimentation ponds to improve microbial quality of irrigation water in urban vegetable farming in Ghana
2008Bernard Keraita, Pay Drechsel, Flemming Konradsen · Water Science & Technology · Ghana (Kumasi)
A study in Kumasi, Ghana, assessed the use of on-farm ponds to reduce microbial contamination in wastewater-contaminated irrigation water, analyzing over 300 samples. It found that while ponds are common, their potential for pathogen removal via sedimentation is not fully optimized. Helminth eggs reduced by about 70% with careful water collection, but thermotolerant coliforms took six days in the dry season to meet WHO guidelines, indicating suboptimal performance for some pathogens.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceLinking research, capacity building, and policy dialogue in support of informal irrigation in urban West Africa
2008Pay Drechsel, Olufunke Cofie, R. van Veenhuizen, Theophilus O. Larbi · Irrigation and Drainage · West Africa
Informal irrigation in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in West Africa offers benefits but is often hindered by water pollution, threatening public health. A multi-stakeholder process implemented since 2005 in six West African cities, including Accra, Ghana, aimed to integrate UPA into sustainable urban development. However, an internal lesson learned was that local partners may not prioritize every project, and capacity-building efforts might not provide expected incentives for commitment.
Contamination & food safetyPolicyHealthPeri-urban agricultureCommunityPengendalian Penyakit Sayuran Yang Ditanam Dengan Sistem Budidaya Mosaik Pada Pertanian Periurban
2008Euis Suryaningsih · Jurnal Hortikultura · Indonesia (Bandung)
From January to July 2001, a field experiment on vegetable disease control in a mosaic farming system in periurban agriculture was conducted at a farmer's field in Rancaekek, Bandung, Indonesia. Treatments included white plastic net cages, biorational pesticides, Bacillus subtilis, a mixture of Mancozeb and Bacillus subtilis, and an unsprayed control. All tested alternative control methods were very effective against major diseases of chili pepper, shallot, eggplant, beans, and cucumber, but the use of poisonous synthetic pesticides in periurban agriculture increases the likelihood of contaminating humans and the environment.
Contamination & food safetyPeri-urban agricultureHealthOrganic cycleHelminth infections among people using wastewater and human excreta in peri‐urban agriculture and aquaculture in Hanoi, Vietnam
2007Do Thuy Trang, Kåre Mølbak, Phung Dac Cam, Anders Dalsgaard · Tropical Medicine & International Health · Vietnam (Hanoi)
A cross-sectional study in a peri-urban area of Hanoi, Vietnam, surveyed 400 agricultural households and examined 807 stool samples from 620 adults and 187 children for helminth infections. The study found that 39% of samples were infected with helminths, with Ascaris sp. at 21.6%, Trichuris sp. at 9.8%, and hookworm at 21.8%. Wastewater exposure was not a major risk, but lack of sanitation facilities and use of fresh or inadequately composted human excreta in agriculture were important risk factors for infection.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultureRisk factors for Schistosoma mansoni and hookworm in urban farming communities in western Côte d'Ivoire
2007Barbara Matthys, Andres B. Tschannen, Norbert T. Tian‐Bi, Hermann Comoé, Salia Diabaté, Mahamadou Traoré, Penelope Vounatsou, Giovanna Raso, Laura Gosoniu, Marcel Tanner, Guéladio Cissé, Eliézer K. N’Goran, Jürg Utzinger · Tropical Medicine & International Health · Côte d'Ivoire
A cross-sectional survey was conducted in urban farming communities in Man, western Côte d'Ivoire, involving 113 farming households (586 individuals) and 21 non-farming households (130 individuals). The prevalences of S. mansoni and hookworm in farming households were 51.4% and 24.7%, respectively. Risk factors for S. mansoni included close proximity to the Kô River, water contact with irrigation wells and ponds, and low education attainment, while risk factors for hookworm included living in smallholder irrigated rice plots or large rice perimeters, using domestic well water, and low socioeconomic status.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityEffect of low‐cost irrigation methods on microbial contamination of lettuce irrigated with untreated wastewater
2007Bernard Keraita, Flemming Konradsen, Pay Drechsel, Robert Clement Abaidoo · Tropical Medicine & International Health · Ghana
The effectiveness of low-cost irrigation methods (drip irrigation kits, furrow irrigation, and watering cans) in reducing contamination of lettuce irrigated with untreated wastewater in urban farming in Ghana was assessed. Analysis of 396 lettuce, 72 soil, 15 poultry manure, and 32 water samples revealed that lettuce irrigated with drip irrigation kits had the lowest contamination levels, with an average of 4 log units per 100g fewer thermotolerant coliforms than those irrigated with watering cans. However, drip kits often clogged, required lower crop densities, and restricted other routine farm activities.
Contamination & food safetyHealthEl riego con aguas de mala calidaden la agricultura urbana. Aspectosa considerar. I. Aguas salinas o alcalinas
2007F Ortega Sastriques, Rosa Orellana Gallego · Revista ciencias técnicas agropecuarias · Global
In many cities, the high price and limited availability of potable water necessitate considering irrigation with poor quality water, such as saline or alkaline waters, in urban agriculture. This paper considers aspects of irrigation with poor quality water, including risks like contamination.
Contamination & food safetyClimate changeEconomicsEl riego con aguas de mala calidaden la agricultura urbana. Aspectosa considerar. II. Aguas residuales urbanas
2007F Ortega Sastriques, Rosa Orellana Gallego · Revista ciencias técnicas agropecuarias · Global
In many cities, potable water is expensive, and its availability is limited and will decrease in the future. Urban agriculture is an aspect to consider in this context.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleEl riego con aguas de mala calidad en la agricultura urbana. Aspectos a considerar. II. Aguas residuales urbanas Irrigation with low quality in urban agriculture: points to regard. II. Urban waste water
2007F Ortega Sastriques, Rosa Orellana Gallego · · Global
Due to high prices and limited availability of drinking water in many cities, urban agriculture will require the use of alternative water sources. Groundwater and surface currents near cities are typically polluted, and this paper points out aspects to consider for safe irrigation using sewage water.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleClimate changeWastewater use for urban and peri-urban agriculture.
2006Stephanie Buechler, Gayathri Devi Mekala, B. Keraita · Victoria University Research Repository (Victoria University) · Global
This 2006 global study from Victoria University discusses wastewater use in urban and peri-urban agriculture for crop production and aquaculture, noting its role in generating livelihoods and providing cheap produce. However, the study emphasizes that clear policy guidelines and careful research are needed to prevent potential negative impacts on human health and the environment from wastewater reuse.
Contamination & food safetyUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureHealthPolicyEconomicsUso de las aguas residuales para el riegode cultivos agrícolas, en la agricultura urbana
2006Astrid Mendez, Paulo Cseri Ricardo, P Jeny Pérez, Callejas Hernández, Osvaldo Campos · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cuba
This introductory study in Arroyo Naranjo municipality, Cuba, examined the use of Luyanó effluent wastewater for irrigation in urban agriculture. The wastewater was classified as low contamination based on BOD5 and COD values and posed no toxic contamination risk to soil or environment. However, it should not be used without prior treatment for direct consumption crops due to its microbial load. Experimental plots with carrot, radish, and marigold showed high agricultural yields, and radish harvests had no bacterial contamination.
Contamination & food safetyOrganic cycleHealthCommunityVers un assainissement urbain durable en Afrique subsaharienne : approche innovante de planification de la gestion des boues de vidange
2006Halidou Koanda · Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) · Sub-Saharan Africa
In Sub-Saharan Africa, faecal sludge management practices are often financially unviable due to widespread lack of municipal involvement, paucity of legal provisions, and absence of stakeholder coordination. This leads to indiscriminate dumping of faecal sludge in urban areas or its untreated use in urban agriculture. These practices pose permanent and serious health risks and contaminate scarce ground and surface water. This research aims to develop an innovative strategic planning approach for sustainable urban faecal sludge management to minimize public health and environmental risks.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cyclePolicyA Deterministic Method for Deriving Site-Specific Human Health Assessment Criteria for Contaminants in Soil
2005C. Paul Nathanail, Caroline McCaffrey, Naomi Earl, Neil D. Foster, A. G. Gillett, Richard Ogden · Human and Ecological Risk Assessment An International Journal · United Kingdom
This paper describes a deterministic method for deriving Site-Specific Assessment Criteria (SSAC) in the UK for human health risks from chronic exposure to heavy metals, metalloids, and organic substances in soil. The SSAC indicates soil concentrations above which unacceptable health risks may occur, considering standard and non-standard land uses and various exposure pathways. The method is not intended to generate or replace UK Soil Guideline Values, as this is the responsibility of UK authoritative bodies.
Contamination & food safetyHealthDetermination of chromium in soil of Lodz gardens
2005B. Jankiewicz, B. Ptaszyński · Polish Journal of Environmental Studies · Poland
This study determined the levels of bioavailable and total chromium (III) and chromium (VI) in the soil of an allotment garden located in the center of Łódź, Poland. Chromium was measured using the spectrophotometric method and atomic absorption spectrometry. The research also examined the effects of iron and copper ions on the determination results.
Contamination & food safetyOrganic cycleTHE LEGACY OF ALLOTMENT GARDENS IN INDUSTRIAL URBAN SETTINGS
2004Tanja Pless‐Mulloli, Vivienne S. Air, Catherine Vizard, Ian Singleton, D. L. Rimmer, Philip Hartley · Epidemiology · United Kingdom
A study in an urban, industrial allotment site in the UK's northeast assessed the potential for public health impact related to soil contamination by taking 86 soil samples and analyzing vegetables and eggs. All 18 initial soil samples exceeded UK guidelines for lead (median 869 mg/kg) and arsenic (median 40 mg/kg), and widespread contamination with PCDD/F was also found. Despite high soil contamination, the uptake of lead and arsenic into vegetables and eggs was low, and these were not deemed major exposure pathways.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthPolicyUrban Agriculture in Shenzhen: Problems and Strategies for Sustainable Development
2004Jianguo Dai · Journal of Shenzhen Polytechnic · China (Shenzhen)
Urban agriculture in Shenzhen faces problems including decreasing farmland, inadequate skilled farmers, poor disaster resistance, immature insurance, increasing contamination of water, soil, air, and agricultural products, and poor modern enterprise management. Strategies proposed for sustainable development include specific laws, pollution protection, education, research, technology application, industrial technology application, leisure agriculture development, and diversification.
Contamination & food safetyPolicyEconomicsClimate changeFood educationAssessment of Wastewater Generation, Management Pattern and Its Re-use Potential In Urban India
2004R. B. Singh · IAHS-AISH publication · India
A study on wastewater management in 300 class-I cities and 23 metropolitan cities in India found that the total wastewater generated is approximately 158x10^8 l/day, with treatment capacity being only 375x10^7 l/day. In metropolitan cities, only 30% of wastewater is treated before disposal, and most cities only have primary treatment facilities. Untreated water is being used for urban agriculture, posing risks to public health and potential surface and groundwater pollution.
Contamination & food safetyOrganic cycleHealthDoes the soil-air-plant pathway contribute to the PCB contamination of apples from allotment gardens?
2004Martin Krauß, J. Moering, Walther Amelung · OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) · Global
This study aimed to assess whether local soil contamination contributes to PCB contamination in apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) at an allotment garden site, in addition to background atmospheric deposition. The importance of the soil-air-plant pathway for persistent organic pollutants like PCBs has been rarely studied, and it is unknown if volatilization from contaminated soils or deposition of contaminated soil dust is a significant source compared to background deposition. The research sought to clarify this potential contamination route for apples.
Contamination & food safetyHealthWater, land and health in urban and peri‐urban food production: the case of Kano, Nigeria
2003Tony Binns, Roy Maconachie, Adamu Idris Tanko · Land Degradation and Development · Nigeria (Kano)
This paper examines health and environmental concerns associated with urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Kano, Nigeria. Empirical evidence indicates that industrial and domestic toxins are reaching dangerously high levels, leading to significant pollution of soils and water channels. This raises serious questions about the sustainability of UPA and the long-term health implications of toxin exposure.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban agricultural production: heavy metal contamination of Amaranthus cruentus L. grown on domestic refuse landfill soils in Ibadan, Nigeria
2003Ogunyemi Awodoyin, Taliat Opadeji · Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture · Nigeria (Ibadan)
A 2003 study in Ibadan, Nigeria, investigated heavy metal contamination of Amaranthus cruentus L. grown on domestic refuse landfill soils. Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) concentrations in soils from four landfill sites and a control site ranged from 110.5 to 678.5ppm for Pb and 2.01 to 3.20ppm for Cd. Metal accumulation in Amaranthus cruentus L. tissues was proportionate to soil Pb concentrations, while Cd levels in crop tissues exceeded soil levels. Crop growth and yield were significantly reduced due to Pb and Cd contamination, leading to the conclusion that Ibadan landfills are unsafe for Amaranthus cruentus cultivation, with heavy metal concentrations in the vegetable tissues much higher than FAO/WHO dietary allowances.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agriculture