Trace Metal Content of Community Garden Soils in Metro Phoenix, AZ

Gardens are established in urban areas as a way to establish natural spaces and fresh food in low affluence communities. A potential problem of growing food in cities is that high levels of heavy metals can exist in soils from proximity to industries and longterm agriculture, which can be taken up my plants. This research measured soil and plant Pb and Cd, two of the most prolific and high concern metals, in order to determine if toxic levels beyond EPA standards of metals exist in Phoenix metro garden soils.