Research & reports

Jenkins E. M., Heafner H., Montgomery J., Soumano V., Paltseva A. A. · iScience · 米国・シカゴ

Portable X-ray fluorescence measurement of seven trace elements in 233 topsoil samples from five Chicago parks. Lead, arsenic, copper, zinc and chromium exceeded Illinois background levels in 89–100% of samples; arsenic exceeded EPA screening levels in 94% of samples and lead in 7%. Contamination was higher at parks farther from the city centre — Douglass and Humboldt parks, in predominantly minority, lower-income neighbourhoods — than at Cottontail, Grant and Webster. Principal-component analysis identified an anthropogenic signature (PC1, 51.7%) driven by Pb, Zn, Cu and As and a geogenic signature (PC2, 17.0%) associated with Mn and Ni. Areas of Douglass and Humboldt parks were classified as not safe for gardening in native soil; Webster as safe with minor restrictions. The authors conclude that park-soil contamination follows socioeconomic gradients, reflecting environmental injustice and a need for targeted remediation.

Malsha Samarasiri, Wei Ning Chen · Sustainable Microbiology · Global

This review discusses advances in urban mushroom farming, its integration with computer-based technologies, safety considerations, and the potential of mushrooms and mycelium-based foods as future foods. Key safety considerations for urban mushroom farming systems include biological hazards, mycotoxins, heavy metal accumulation, and potential allergenicity. Macrofungal mycelium-based foods may be regarded as novel foods and require evaluation under novel food safety regulations.

Threice Natália Ribeiro Pexe, Julia Yumi Muraoka, Fabiana Cristina Donofrio, Cibele Bonacorsi · Scientific Electronic Archives · Brazil (Sinop)

Parasitological and microbiological evaluation was conducted on 40 vegetable samples (watercress, lettuce, chicory, kale, escarole, arugula, parsley) randomly selected from supermarkets, open-air markets, and a community garden in Sinop, Brazil. Before treatment, 12 out of 40 (30.0%) vegetable samples were contaminated with enteroparasites, and all 40 showed microbial growth, with 3 (7.5%) containing Escherichia coli. After sanitization with sodium hypochlorite, parasitic forms were absent, but high initial contamination was confirmed.

Eric Vukicevich · Urban Ecosystems · Global

This paper describes a class-based soil testing project where undergraduate students partner with local community gardeners to investigate urban soil health. The project involves students examining soil properties such as pH, organic matter, nutrients, and toxic elements, and ensuring crop safety. Students develop project plans, interpret data, and make recommendations for soil management.

Elmira Ramazanova, Manvitha Marni, Roger Wong, Leah Gable, Zezhen Pan, Zorimar Rivera‐Núñez, Daniel E. Giammar · Environmental Geochemistry and Health · United States (St. Louis)

A study in St. Louis, Missouri, examined total metal/metalloid concentrations and in-vitro Pb bioaccessibility in soil from twenty community gardens. Lead was identified as a metal of concern, with soil in 21% of sampled plots containing Pb concentrations above recommended thresholds for gardens. Although Pb bioaccessibility was low (< 5.4%), total metal/metalloid concentrations varied spatially within gardens, and Pb and As concentrations correlated positively with garden age, highlighting the importance of multiple plot sampling.

Malone M., Johnson B., Richard SI., Garcia N., Hamlin S. · Journal of Environmental Management · United States (Seattle)

Compares heavy-metal concentrations in vegetables grown in urban community gardens in the Seattle metropolitan area with produce from the grocery stores participants regularly used — a question set by the partnering farmers themselves. Metal concentrations frequently exceeded health guidelines in both, but were generally higher in the community-garden produce. Cadmium and lead posed the greatest risk and may exacerbate health risks for some populations.

Subin Babu Neupane, Pedro F S Toledo, Katerina Velasco-Graham, Felipe N. Soto‐Adames, Arash Kheirodin · Journal of Integrated Pest Management · United States

This is the first report documenting the invasive thrips species Thrips parvispinus, native to Southeast Asia, in Texas, USA. Samples collected from 12 locations across Texas -- including greenhouse facilities, large retail outlets and community gardens -- from plants showing foliage injury confirmed the species' presence in November 2025, and detections across multiple counties suggest it has been introduced to multiple locations and may be widely distributed in the state.

Olabode K., Lewińska K., Komorowicz I. · Environmental Geochemistry and Health · ポーランド南部・ズウォティストク（旧鉱山地域）

Quantifies total arsenic, gastric-phase in vitro bioaccessible arsenic (IVBA) and direct-soil-exposure risks for children and adults in mining-affected allotment gardens in Złoty Stok, southern Poland, applying deterministic calculations and Monte Carlo simulation to incidental soil ingestion, dermal contact and inhalation of resuspended particles. Total As ranged 433–1148 mg/kg and IVBA 4.5–23.5%. Under the total-As multi-pathway scenario median hazard indices were 5.50 for children and 0.62 for adults (P05/P95: 2.26/15.18 and 0.29/1.89). Median total cancer risk was 1.78×10⁻⁴ for children and 1.06×10⁻⁴ for adults, with 80.0% of simulated child profiles and 54.0% of adult profiles at or above 10⁻⁴. Ingestion and dermal contact accounted for nearly all modeled risk while inhalation was negligible; applying IVBA to the ingestion pathway alone cut the median ingestion-related hazard quotient and cancer risk by 89.3%. Total soil As and soil ingestion rate were the principal positive risk drivers, body weight inversely associated.

Xiang Zhou, Nan Wang, Jiaying Shi, Michael Hensel · Humanities and Social Sciences Communications · China (Nanjing)

A study of urban foraging behavior in Nanjing's central urban area, China, revealed significant enthusiasm among residents, linking personal childhood experiences to their foraging motivations. However, environmental pollution was identified as a critical barrier to these activities.

Paula Marques Crelier, Manoel Jerônimo Moreira Cruz, Danusia Ferreira Lima · Seven Editora eBooks · Global

A controlled laboratory experiment cultivated BRS Leila lettuce (L. sativa) in samples contaminated with lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) at concentrations of 150 and 200 mol/L. The study found that lithium correlates with other alkaline and alkaline earth elements in the leaves and roots of the lettuce. This indicates a contamination pathway where lithium is absorbed by the plant.

Robert J. Moriarity, Meaghan J. Wilton, Eric N. Liberda, Tim Drew, Ada John, Howard Jeddore, Atanu Sarkar, Jim D. Karagatzides, Leonard J. S. Tsuji · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Canada (Newfoundland)

This study aimed to develop safe community garden sites in Miawpukek First Nation, Newfoundland, Canada, addressing potential soil contamination. Soil testing revealed inorganic arsenic levels exceeding Canadian agricultural guidelines. Hügelkultur-style raised beds with imported soil were used, resulting in undetectable arsenic in potatoes grown there, while potatoes from contaminated soil exceeded safety limits. Kale grown in both raised beds and native soil remained within safety limits.

Godswill Ntsomboh Ntsefong · IntechOpen eBooks · Global

This chapter examines the global growth and implications of urban agriculture. While urban agriculture enhances food security, it also introduces food safety risks from contaminated soils and infrastructure gaps. Challenges related to heavy metals, waste, and inadequate land planning are evaluated, and barriers such as land access and limited training for producers persist.

Christoph Koch, Maria da Glória Arrais Peter · Environmental Challenges · Germany

This citizen science study analyzed inorganic pollutants in private garden soils in central Germany, including front and backyards. Elevated levels of lead and copper were found in one-third of the samples, and zinc in two-thirds. Chromium and nickel concentrations were also elevated in a quarter of the samples, with some readily available substances exceeding limit values.

E. Ryan Harrelson, Qingyue Zeng, Mairui Gao, Magaly Toro, Ryan A. Blaustein · Frontiers in Plant Science · United States (Washington, D.C.)

This study analyzed 87 multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains from leafy greens (n=29), root zone soil (n=42), and bulk soil (n=16) in Washington, D.C. urban agriculture systems using whole genome sequencing. The isolates, spanning 4 phyla and 14 genera, carried diverse antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). The results indicate that MDR bacteria are present in urban agriculture systems, including on fresh produce, dominated by soil-associated taxa carrying diverse ARGs and MGEs, which suggests implications for resistance mobilization.

Izabella Pisarek, Kamila Śmieszkoł, Aleksandra Cichoń, Magdalena Śliwa, Dżoana Latała-Matysiak, Katarzyna Łuczak, Grzegorz Kusza · Journal of Ecological Engineering · Poland

A 2025 study assessed the impact of a railway line on soil quality, particularly heavy metal content, at the "Hutnik" family allotment gardens in Zawadzkie, Poland. Twenty research plots were set out near a forest complex (reference) and near railway infrastructure (a potential emission source), with soil samples collected from a depth of 0-25 cm and analyzed for total zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni). Elevated concentrations of copper, zinc, and lead were found in soils close to the railway line, and based on the chemical analysis data, the study concludes that railway transport may pose a greater threat to the environment than previously expected.

Jacek Antonkiewicz, Iwona Paśmionka, Grzegorz Szychowski · Soil Science Annual · Poland

Following a flood that inundated allotment gardens in Nysa, southern Poland, for up to 14 days after the water rose on 14 September 2024, researchers analyzed 12 soil samples collected in early spring 2025 from two allotment garden sites. Most soils were found limed and disinfected, with high organic matter but low total potassium, sodium and sulfur. Zinc and copper concentrations exceeded the average for Polish arable soils, pointing to use of materials enriched with these elements.

Jarosław Chmielewski, Barbara Gworek, Alicja Walosik, Magdalena Florek-Łuszczki · Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine · Poland

Soil (N=196) and root vegetable (N=94) samples from 16 allotment gardens in Warsaw, Poland, were analyzed for manganese, zinc, copper, lead and cadmium and assessed for health risk. Parsley, carrots, beetroots and celery grown in these gardens accumulated elevated levels of all five metals, and the health risk assessment found an increased risk of carcinogenic effects from cadmium and lead in consumers of these root vegetables; the authors conclude consumption of vegetables from the examined gardens should be very limited or eliminated from the diet entirely.

Ikrema Hassan, Innocent Mugudamani, Saheed Adeyinka Oke · Environments · Canada

Top and subsoil samples from Carleton community garden in New Brunswick, Canada, affected by an industrial fire hazard, were analyzed for toxic heavy metals using ICP-OES and ICP-MS, with ecological risk assessed via the ecological risk factor and potential ecological risk index (PERI) and human health risk assessed using a standard approach. Mean concentrations of lead, zinc, copper and tin exceeded permissible limits under Canadian soil quality guidelines and upper continental crust values; nickel posed a high ecological risk across both soil layers while all other metals showed low ecological risk, and overall PERI indicated low ecological threat. In the human health assessment, children faced non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk from arsenic exposure while adults did not face risk from any of the metals studied, identifying arsenic as the primary contaminant of concern and children as the most vulnerable population.

Anjoulie Brandner, Karolina Taczanowska, Brenda Maria Zoderer, Christoph Schunko · Urban forestry & urban greening · Austria (Vienna)

A survey of 458 respondents in Vienna, Austria, analyzed urban wild food foraging locations and preferences for urban green spaces (UGS). 1239 foraging locations were identified across 9 UGS types, with forest and meadow landscapes, parks, and UGS mosaics being most utilized. Foragers' major concerns were contamination from traffic and dogs.

Wendy J. Heiger-Bernays, Alicia Fraser, Valerie Burns, Kerry Diskin, Diedre Pierotti, Kian Merchant-Borna, Michael D. McClean, Daniel J. Brabander, H. Patricia Hynes · Scholarworks (University of Massachusetts Amherst) · United States (Boston)

This study identified the nature and extent of soil contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from railroad ties and arsenic from chromated copper arsenate (CCA) pressure-treated lumber in a representative community garden in Boston. Elevated levels of PAHs and arsenic were present in the gardens studied, with these timbers serving as a continuous source of contaminants. This is the first study to investigate contaminants other than lead and evaluate the effect of adding city compost on select soil contaminants in urban garden soil.

Fernanda Olivares, John Clunes, Susana Valle, Dorota Dec · Agro Sur · Chile (Valdivia)

This study evaluated the quality of irrigation water in urban gardens in Valdivia, Chile, against Chilean standards NCh 1333 and NCh 409. Measured parameters included pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and iron concentration. All urban gardens met the established standards, with the exception of the Collico garden, which showed an elevated iron concentration.

Nilanjana Ganguli, Anna Maria Subic, Janani Maheswaran, Byomkesh Talukder · Global Health Journal · Global

A systematic literature review of 55 papers identified five distinct planetary health risks associated with urban agriculture, despite its environmental benefits. The study highlighted particular concerns regarding trace metal bioaccumulation in soil and vegetables, posing health risks to populations. Additionally, risks related to wastewater irrigation, backyard livestock farming, and gaps in infectious disease research were identified.

Sabina Rossini Oliva, Rafael López Núñez · Environmental Science and Pollution Research · Spain (Andalusia)

This study evaluated potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in vegetables and topsoils from urban gardens in Seville, Cordoba, Huelva, and a mining area (Riotinto), Spain, comparing them with market and peri-urban samples. Soils in the mining area and cities generally showed higher contamination with As, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn compared to other locations. Despite this, all PTE concentrations in vegetables from the studied urban gardens, including those from As-contaminated soils, were below health-based guidance values and market levels (except lettuce), and human health risk assessments indicated safe consumption.

Fatimata Bintou Josiane Diarra, Isidore Juste O. Bonkoungou, Zakaria Garba, Namwin Siourimè Somda, Djifahamaï Soma, Marguerite Edith Malatala Nikiema, Évariste Bako, Souleymane Sore, Natéwindé Sawadogo, Nicolas Barro, Kaisa Haukka · Microorganisms · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)

A study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, assessed the occurrence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) and Klebsiella spp. (ESBL-K) in 356 samples from lettuce, the environment, and gardeners' stools in market gardens. The overall prevalence of ESBL-producing bacteria was 65.2%. Specifically, ESBL-Ec was found in 25.0% of lettuce samples and ESBL-K in 43.4% of lettuce samples, indicating a high prevalence of these resistant bacteria in urban agriculture.

Luke Beesley, Michael Hardman · Cities · Global

This opinion piece discusses the potential risks of urban agriculture (UA) practices within Green Social Prescribing (GSP), particularly in post-industrial regions. It highlights barriers related to heavy metal-enriched urban soils, emphasizing the need for greater awareness and management of these risks. The piece provides recommendations for improving knowledge exchange on urban soils and risk in GSP contexts.