114-5 Lead in Agricultural Soils: Bridging Geochemical Characterization, Mitigation Strategies, and Community-Engaged Science

Session: Environmental Geochemistry and Health (Part I)

Presenting Author:

Sara Perl Egendorf

Authors:

Egendorf, Sara Perl¹, Andrews, Danielle², Brabander, Daniel³, Cheng, Zhongqi⁴, de Jesus, Erycka⁵, Filippelli, Gabriel⁶, Hayhow, Claire⁷, Hettiarachchi, Ganga M⁸, Lively, Martin⁹, Mielke, Howard W¹⁰, Simmons, Zani¹¹, Spliethoff, Henry¹², Toomey, Anne H¹³, Tran, Jessica¹⁴

(1) Department of Environmental Studies and Science, Pace University, New York, NY, USA, (2) The Food Project, Boston, MA, USA, (3) Geosciences Department, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA, (4) Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, USA, (5) Independent Artist and Activist, Queens, NY, USA, (6) Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Environmental Resilience Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA, (7) Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA, (8) Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA, (9) LEAD Agency, Miami, OK, USA, (10) School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA, (11) Queens Community House, Queens, NY, USA, (12) Independent, Rensselaer, NY, USA, (13) Department of Environmental Studies and Science, Pace University, New York, NY, USA, (14) Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA,

Abstract:

Lead (Pb) exposure remains a well established cause of impaired neurological development and an increasingly recognized risk factor for premature death worldwide, with both burdens falling disproportionately on marginalized communities. In agricultural settings, legacy Pb contamination in soil continues to pose risks decades after major emission sources have been eliminated, particularly in urban and peri-urban soils used for food production. This presentation synthesizes two complementary chapters in the 92nd volume of Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry focused on Lead: the geochemical characterization and mitigation of agricultural soil Pb, and the participatory science frameworks needed to leverage this science towards equitable, community-driven action.

The first chapter traces the natural and anthropogenic origins of Pb in agricultural soils, its environmental fate and transformation, and the risks to human health, with emphasis on urban farms and community gardens. We review existing guidance values and best management practices for reducing exposure and present a decision-support framework for determining appropriate growing strategies when elevated soil Pb is identified. Case studies demonstrate that covering contaminated soil with clean soil, compost, or other amendments can be a highly effective, lower-cost alternative to full remediation—provided that covers are maintained and future land users remain informed of underlying contamination.

The second chapter addresses how this science is generated and applied. Drawing on lessons from collaborations with impacted communities, we outline principles for participatory and community science that avoid extractive "parachute" research and instead center community priorities in setting research agendas, interpreting data, and determining outcomes. We draw from published literature on participatory science in general, research projects focused on lead, and lessons from case studies in which the authors have participated. We also provide responses to frequently asked questions to guide new researchers and highlight non-traditional products of this work—including co-developed public-facing materials, construction of new soils, youth mentoring programs, and policy advocacy tools—products that carry as much value to communities as peer-reviewed publications.

Together, these perspectives argue that addressing legacy soil Pb contamination requires the integration of rigorous science and sustained, trust-based partnerships with the communities most affected—an approach with broad relevance to other environmental contaminants and settings.

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