Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
339 results(9 / 14)
Contaminants in Urban Soils: Bioavailability and Transfer
2017Dorothy Menefee, Ganga M. Hettiarachchi · · United States
Soil contamination with potentially toxic trace elements and anthropogenic organic pollutants is a widespread problem in urban areas worldwide. While urban agriculture increases food security, potential risks exist without knowledge of urban soil contamination. Lead (Pb) contamination is a widespread and common urban soil issue associated with human health risks, with almost half of US EPA Superfund sites having Pb contamination. Cadmium (Cd) is also a widespread urban soil pollutant, largely from industrial activities like plastic manufacturing, battery disposal, and metal ore processing. The bioavailability of soil Pb to humans is unusually low and generally tied to Pb speciation.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityConcentration of Potentially Toxic Elements in Various Berries Grown in Allotment Gardens of Rīga City, Latvia Section B Natural, exact, and applied sciences =
2017Zane Vincēviča–Gaile, Dāvis Varakājs · · Latvia
This study aimed to determine the concentration of potentially toxic elements (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn) in berries grown in allotment gardens in Rīga city, Latvia. Samples of raspberries, strawberries, red currants, black currants, gooseberries, and cherries were analyzed using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results showed significant variability of element concentration among the berry species, with mean concentrations for Ni at 0.54 mg/kg, Pb at 0.20 mg/kg, Cr at 0.10 mg/kg, and Cd at 0.03 mg/kg.
Contamination & food safetyHealthMoving dirt: soil, lead, and the dynamic spatial politics of urban gardening
2017Bethany B. Cutts, Jonathan London, Shaina Meiners, Kirsten Schwarz, Mary L. Cadenasso · Local Environment · Global
This paper applies a dynamic spatial politics framework to interpret a 30-year conflict over an urban garden in Sacramento, California. It examines how urban gardens, often idealized, are also sites of conflict due to competing visions of "soil" versus "dirt." The study highlights that contaminants like lead in the soil contribute to this instability, reframing fertile soil as dangerous dirt, and influencing the garden's transformation from a countercultural space to a gentrified amenity.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthPolicyAssessing the sustainability of vegetable production practices in northern Ghana
2017Eileen Bogweh Nchanji, Imogen Bellwood‐Howard, Nikolaus Schareika, Takemore Chagomoka, Johannes Schlesinger, D. Rodríguez Torres Axel, Glaser Rüdiger · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · Ghana (Tamale)
An ethnographic study in Tamale, Northern Ghana, assessed the sustainability of urban vegetable production between 2008 and 2014. While urbanization increased cultivation of profitable vegetables like cabbage, the practice involved irrigation with grey and wastewater and high pesticide use, posing health and environmental hazards. Industrial growth reduced open space urban agriculture by 8.7%, leading farmers to use interstitial spaces and peri-urban fringes, indicating a dynamic but not yet sustainable production system.
Contamination & food safetyHealthEconomicsClimate changePolicyOrganic cycleUrban Agriculture: Environmental, Economic, and Social Perspectives
2016Steve G. Hallett, Lori Hoagland, Emily Toner · Horticultural reviews · Global
This chapter discusses urban agriculture from economic, environmental, and social perspectives, acknowledging differences between urban agriculture in small and large cities, as well as the Global North and South. Urban farms and community gardens can have both positive and negative environmental impacts, such as reducing or increasing energy consumption, improving water infiltration, and beautifying neighborhoods, or producing odors and contaminating water. The chapter also attempts to frame policy recommendations that might help guide urban agriculture's development.
Contamination & food safetyEconomicsClimate changePolicyCommunityEstudio radiométrico y de niveles de metales pesados en sedimentos de zonas de interés pesquero, terapéutico y ambiental y en suelos urbanos de diferentes ciudades de Cuba
2016Oscar Díaz Rizo Susana Olivares Rieumont · Anales de la Academia de Ciencias de Cuba · Cuba
This study in Cuba used X-ray Fluorescence and Low-Background Gamma Spectrometry to analyze heavy metal and radioactive element concentrations in marine/fluvial sediments and urban soils. It found heavy metal contamination in coastal sediments of Guacanayabo Gulf, mercury bioaccumulation in oysters from Sagua River estuary, and possible selenium contamination in catfish tissue. The study also reported, for the first time, heavy metal concentrations in urban soils of Havana, Moa, Las Tunas, and Cienfuegos, including in urban agricultural farms, evaluating their quality for urban farming and potential health impacts.
Contamination & food safetyHealthWastewater use in urban agriculture: an exposure and risk assessment in Accra, Ghana
2016P. Antwi Agyei, Jeroen H. J. Ensink · Journal of Science and Technology (Ghana) · Ghana (Accra)
A study in Accra, Ghana, from September 2012 to August 2013, analyzed 323 soil and irrigation water samples and 501 produce samples for E. coli, and interviewed 693 participants. It found irrigation water was significantly more contaminated than farm soil, and over 80% of produce samples were contaminated with E. coli, with street food salad being the most contaminated. Key risk factors included farm soil, wastewater use, and poor hygiene, while consumers did not prioritize health indicators despite high risk awareness.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPolicyUrban–rural linkageHeavy Metal Status in Urban and Peri-Urban Wetland Soils under Vegetable Cultivation in the Bamenda Municipality Cameroon
2016Godswill Azinwie Asongwe, Bernard Palmer Kfuban Yerima · Greener Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition · Cameroon (Bamenda)
This study analyzed heavy metal levels (chromium, manganese, lead, cadmium) in 21 urban and peri-urban agricultural wetland soil samples in Bamenda municipality, Cameroon. Average concentrations were 35.73 mg/kg for chromium, 0.08 mg/kg for manganese, 30.64 mg/kg for lead, and 0.45 mg/kg for cadmium. These concentrations were generally lower than the maximum WHO permissible levels.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleSoil Lead Testing at a High Spatial Resolution in an Urban Community Garden: A Case Study in Relic Lead in Terre Haute, Indiana.
2016Jennifer C. Latimer, David Van Halen, James H. Speer, Stephanie Krull, Patricia G. Weaver, Joseph M. Pettit, Heather Foxx · PubMed · United States (Indiana)
This study collected over 1,061 surface soil samples from an approximately 1.25-acre urban community garden in Terre Haute, Indiana, during the summer of 2012, to evaluate the spatial distribution of lead at the plot level. The results highlighted significant variability in lead concentrations within small areas of a former residential property, with some areas showing high lead concentrations (600 ppm). Based on these findings, several areas of concern were identified, and the community garden was reconfigured to reduce potential lead exposure to gardeners and the local community.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityImpacts of Wastewater Reuse on Peri-Urban Agriculture: Case Study in Udaipur City, India
2016Kamal Kishore Yadav, Pradeep Kumar Singh, R. C. Purohit · Water science and technology library · India (Udaipur)
A study in the peri-urban area of Udaipur City, India, investigated heavy metal contamination in soil, vegetable crops, and groundwater due to wastewater reuse. While groundwater-irrigated vegetables showed heavy metal levels within WHO limits, wastewater-irrigated spinach, tomato, and radish at site 3 (Kanpur – Madri Villave) exceeded maximum permissible limits for Fe, Zn, and Cd. Urban wastewater-irrigated spinach was found to accumulate Fe, Zn, and Cd significantly above permissible limits at all three selected locations, making it unsafe for human consumption.
Contamination & food safetyPeri-urban agricultureHealthEvaluating peri-urban market gardening and shallow well quality for irrigation: a case study from Lagos, Nigeria
2016Isaiah Sewanu Akoteyon, Adeyemi Davidson Aromolaran · International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development · Nigeria (Lagos)
This study evaluated peri-urban market gardening and shallow well water quality for irrigation in Lagos, Nigeria. It found that the mean values of bicarbonate, calcium, and pH in shallow wells exceeded detection levels in 66.7%, 60%, and 53.3% of samples, respectively. Salinity and sodium hazard patterns showed that approximately 66.7% of shallow wells had low salinity, 26.7% medium, and 6.7% high.
Contamination & food safetyPeri-urban agricultureHealthFood sovereignty & justiceUrban farming as a possible source of trace metals in human diets
2016Joshua Oluwole Olowoyo, Gladness Nteboheng Lion · South African Journal of Science · South Africa
This review reports on the concentrations of trace metals in crops, including leafy vegetables, harvested from various urban areas. It highlights the presence of trace metals in leafy vegetables and discusses various pathways of uptake, possible health risks associated with urban farming, and morphological and physiological impacts of trace metals in leafy vegetables.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkageAntimony Accumulation Risk in Lettuce Grown in Brazilian Urban Gardens
2016Silvia Mancarella, Giuseppina Pennisi, Daniela Gasperi, L. Marchetti, V. Loges, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto, Gilmo Vianello, Livia Vittori Antisari · Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) · Brazil (Recife)
This study assessed heavy metal accumulation in an urban garden in Recife, Brazil, at varying distances from a high-traffic road. It found that increasing distance from the street decreased the accumulation of many potentially toxic elements. However, the study revealed a greater human health danger associated with the accumulation of antimony in lettuce, while concentrations of other elements in leaf tissues were within reported thresholds.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityIDENTIFICATION OF LEAD AND CADMIUM LEVELS IN WHITE CABBAGE (Brassica rapa L.), SOIL, AND IRRIGATION WATER OF URBAN AGRICULTURAL SITES IN THE PHILIPPINES
2016Hardiyanto Hardiyanto, Constancio C. de Guzman · Indonesian Journal of Agricultural Science · Philippines (Metro Manila)
This study investigated the levels and distribution of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in white cabbage, soil, and irrigation water from urban agricultural sites in Las Piñas and Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. Field areas were divided into three sections based on distance from the main road (0, 25, and 50 m), and metal contents were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The average Pb content (1.09 µg g-1 dry weight) in white cabbage was highest immediately beside the main road, with a similar trend in soil. A negative relationship was found between distance from the main road and Pb and Cd contents in white cabbage and soil. While overall concentrations of Pb and Cd in white cabbage, soil, and irrigation water were within acceptable limits, further study on heavy metal contamination in crops, especially those grown along main roads, was suggested.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleCommunityRisk Assessment of Heavy Metal and Metalloid Contamination on Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) Grown in Wastewater-Irrigated Urban Farming Sites in Sargodha, Pakistan
2016Kafeel Ahmad, Zafar Iqbal Khan, Asma Ashfaq, Ameer Khan, Hazoor Ahmad Shad, Mujahid Sher, Zahoor-ul-Hassan Dogar, Ijaz Rasool Noorka, Sumaira Yasmin, Vincenzo Tufarelli, Eugenio Cazzato · The Philippine Agricultural Scientist · Pakistan
This study analyzed heavy metal and metalloid levels in soil and cabbage (Brassica oleracea) from two urban farming sites in Sargodha, Pakistan, irrigated with wastewater. Findings showed that mean concentrations of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in soil, and manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in cabbage, exceeded permissible limits at both sites. Significant differences were observed in metal and metalloid levels in vegetable samples between sites.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleRecontamination Effect of Treated Wastewater on Prevalence of Intestinal Helminthes: Case Study on Vegetable Producers Groups in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
2016Noëllie W. Kpoda, Mariam Sou Dakouré, Boubacar Savadogo, Amadou H. Maïga, Jean-Noël Poda, G.B. Kabre · Journal of Water and Environment Technology · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)
This study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, compared the parasitological characteristics of wastewater at a treatment plant's inlet and outlet, and in an open channel conveying treated wastewater to a garden site. Non-viable parasite cysts or eggs were found at the treatment plant, but viable parasite cysts and eggs were detected in the open channel. An epidemiological study demonstrated that open defecation by highly infected individuals within the garden site caused recontamination of the treated wastewater.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityRisk assessment from exposure to arsenic, antimony, and selenium in urban gardens (Madrid, Spain)
2016Eduardo De Miguel, Miguel Izquierdo‐Díaz, Amaia Gómez, Juan Mingot, Fernando Barrio‐Parra · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry · Spain (Madrid)
Forty-two soil samples from seven urban gardens in Madrid, Spain, were collected to measure concentrations of arsenic, antimony, and selenium, along with soil properties. Antimony concentrations exceeded recommended values for agricultural use in 70% of the urban gardens. A human health risk assessment indicated acceptable levels for noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, though carcinogenic values were elevated, with arsenic identified as the main risk driver.
Contamination & food safetyHealthRisk Perceptions of Wastewater Use for Urban Agriculture in Accra, Ghana
2016Prince Antwi-Agyei, Anne Peasey, Adam Biran, Jane Bruce, Jeroen H. J. Ensink · PLoS ONE · Ghana (Accra)
This study, conducted from September 2012 to August 2013 with 490 respondents in Accra, Ghana, assessed knowledge and awareness of wastewater use in urban agriculture. It found low awareness of irrigation water sources among consumers and street food vendors, and low health risk awareness among farmers, despite high awareness among salespersons and consumers. Crucially, consumers did not prioritize health indicators when purchasing produce, and farmers' health risk awareness did not influence their adoption of safer practices.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityHealth risk assessment of some heavy metals in urban community garden soils of Baghdad City, Iraq
2016Emad Abdulrahman Al-Heety, Kadhim H. Yassin, Safa Abd-Alsalaam · Human and Ecological Risk Assessment An International Journal · Iraq (Baghdad)
This study evaluated the health risk of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) in soils from 14 urban community gardens in Baghdad City, Iraq. The non-carcinogenic hazard index (HI) was below the threshold (HI < 1), indicating no non-carcinogenic hazard. However, the carcinogenic risk index (RI) for Cd, Cr, and Ni exceeded the unacceptable threshold (RI < 1 × 10−4), demonstrating a serious carcinogenic risk for children and adults in the study area.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityHeavy Metal Toxicity in Wastewater Irrigated Peri-Urban Agricultural Areas of Lahore, Pakistan; a Case Study
2016Mujtaba Baqar, Nadia Jamil, Naveed Ahsan, Kiran Khanum, Abdul Qadir, Mariyam Zameer, Anam Khalid · Transylvanian Review · Pakistan (Lahore)
This case study investigated the impacts of heavy metals from wastewater irrigation on soil, groundwater, and leafy vegetables (Indian mustard, spinach, fodder) in the Charrar Drain catchment, Lahore, Pakistan. Samples were collected from seven sites. Drain water showed Cd, Cr, and Pb concentrations exceeding limits at most sites, and groundwater Cd concentrations also exceeded limits, though Cr and Pb were within permissible ranges. Soil samples contained Cd, Cr, and Pb, and leafy vegetables irrigated with wastewater showed varying heavy metal concentrations, indicating a heavy metal bioaccumulation issue that may exceed threshold limits.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleGrowing Gardens in Shrinking Cities: A Solution to the Soil Lead Problem?
2016Kirsten Schwarz, Bethany B. Cutts, Jonathan London, Mary L. Cadenasso · Sustainability · Global
This paper proposes reframing the issue of soil lead contamination and urban gardening in shrinking cities from a potential conflict to a potential solution. Many shrinking cities face high soil lead burdens from their industrial past and the historic use of lead-based paint and leaded gasoline, which is often seen as a barrier to urban agriculture. The paper argues that urban gardening can be a solution to the soil lead problem through soil management, including soil testing and the addition of amendments, and through social network and community building.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthMedia Frames and Shifting Places of Environmental (In)Justice: A Qualitative Historical Geographic Information System Method
2016Bethany B. Cutts, Danqi Fang, Kaitlyn Hornik, Jonathan London, Kirsten Schwarz, Mary L. Cadenasso · Environmental Justice · United States (California)
This study introduced a Qualitative Historical Geographic Information System (QHGIS) method to investigate how newspapers reflect changing meanings of place in relation to environmental burden and benefit. Applying QHGIS to urban gardening and soil lead issues reported in Sacramento, California, the method revealed the distribution of public narratives of environmental concern across the city, the politics embedded in location names, place name-changes, and how locations serve as framing devices for environmental concerns.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthPolicyA faecal exposure assessment of farm workers in Accra, Ghana: a cross sectional study
2016Prince Antwi-Agyei, Adam Biran, Anne Peasey, Jane Bruce, Jeroen H. J. Ensink · BMC Public Health · Ghana (Accra)
This cross-sectional study in Accra, Ghana, assessed faecal exposure among 80 farm workers during dry and wet seasons, analyzing water and soil samples for E. coli. The results showed that while irrigation water was highly contaminated (5.6 Log E. coli/100 ml), exposure to farm soil (2.3 Log E. coli/g) was the key risk pathway due to soil-to-mouth events, with 53% of farmers experiencing such events daily. The estimated norovirus infection risk to farmers was found to be higher than guidelines set by the WHO, indicating that exposure to soil is a critical pathway of pathogen risk in wastewater farmers, exceeding recommended health targets.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkagePolicyUsing Community-Based Participatory Research to Explore Backyard Gardening Practices and Soil Lead Concentrations in Urban Neighborhoods
2016Sheri L. Johnson, Dalila Cardona, J. H. C. Davis, Benjamin Gramling, Chelsea Hamilton, Ray G. Hoffmann, Sabrina J. Ruis, Douglas J. Soldat, Steve Ventura, Yan Ke · Progress in community health partnerships · Global
This study used community-based participatory research to explore backyard gardening practices and soil lead concentrations in urban neighborhoods. Interviews with 20 adult gardeners revealed perceived benefits but few initial concerns about lead exposure, despite children's active involvement. Soil lead concentrations from 17 residential properties ranged from 7 to 3,234 mg kg-1, significantly higher than commercial soils (6 to 13 mg kg-1), indicating a contamination risk.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityFood educationHeavy Metal Contamination of Soil, Irrigation Water and Vegetables in Peri‐Urban Agricultural Areas and Markets of Delhi
2015Arti Bhatia, Shivdhar Singh, Amit Kumar · Water Environment Research · India (Delhi)
A study in Delhi, India, investigated heavy metal contamination (cadmium, lead, zinc, copper) in irrigation water, soil, and vegetables from four peri-urban and one wholesale site. Most samples from peri-urban areas exceeded safe limits for lead and cadmium. Vegetables from the wholesale market showed only higher lead concentrations. Among peri-urban vegetables, only okra exceeded the safe limit for cadmium, while several wholesale vegetables (potato, coriander, chilies, pea, carrot) exceeded the limit for lead regarding health risk.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agriculture