Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #124577
Title: BIOSOLID APPLICATION FOR REDUCING URBAN SOIL LEAD HAZARDS: BASELINE RESULTS

Author
item ORLOVA, ANNA - JOHNS-HOPKINS/PUB HEALTH
item FARFEL, MARK - JOHNS-HOPKINS/PUB HEALTH
item LEES, P.S.J. - JOHNS-HOPKINS/PUB HEALTH
item Chaney, Rufus
item ASHLEY, PETER - US-DHUD, WASHINGTON, DC

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2001
Publication Date: 7/24/2001
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The problem of children's exposure to lead in exposed soil of residential yards is particularly acute in distressed urban areas in the U.S. with older lead-painted housing in poor condition. This study includes the first systematic examination of the effectiveness of the use of an in situ remediation method of biosolids compost application to lead-contaminated residential soils for reducing soil lead hazards in residential yards in the urban environment. Soils associated with urban housing with high Pb in paint which was undergoing deleading under a HUD program were evaluated for use in testing in situ remediation of soil Pb bioavailability. Field tests were established at 9 properties without and with application of a high Fe biosolids compost from Baltimore, MD. Separate well mixed soil lots were also amended with compost and placed in large pots to possibly reduce the variance of measurement of reduction in "in vitro bioaccessibility" (extraction proportional to feeding studies). Previous soil feeding tests had shown that this compost could rapidly reduce soil Pb bioavailability by 50%. At the time the Abstract was required, the treatments had been established; at the meeting, it is expected that in vitro bioaccessibility results will be obtained before the meeting. Each yard was examined for the areal distribution of soil Pb, and it was found that houseside soils were much more contaminated than soils further from residences. The compost amended soils were seeded and grasses rapidly became established, showing the additional benefit of composted biosolids on soil physical properties which favor turfgrass establishment.