The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #50423

Mary E. Finster¹, Kimberly A. Gray, PhD¹, and Helen Binns, MD, MPH². (1) Department of Civil Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208-3109, 847-467-4980, m-finster@northwestern.edu, (2) Children's Memorial Hospital, 2300 Children's Plaza, Box 208, Chicago, IL 60614

Background: In order to reduce lead exposure, the creation of lead free housing is not sufficient, for research has shown that blood lead levels are correlated with time spent outdoors. Therefore, contaminated soil may be a significant source of lead in children both directly, through hand to mouth contact and ingestion contaminated soil, and indirectly, by way of soil tracked into the house. In a residential property, turf grass is often used as the primary form of ground cover. Thus, for a lead contaminated residential soil, it is a key factor in creating a safer yard area.

Objective: The goal of this research is to identify grass that will not only successfully grow, as to provide an effective barrier to decrease exposure, but potentially remediate the lead from the soil without utilization of a chelator.

Method: The field study occurred in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood, where all of the targeted properties have a baseline soil lead concentration greater than 400 ppm and up to 50,000 ppm, with wide variation within each property. Statistically based laboratory experiments explored turf grass growth and lead uptake as a function of seed type, soil lead concentration, soil pH, and fertilization.

Results: These studies demonstrated that soil lead has no influence on seed germination and growth, soil pH is inversely proportional to lead uptake, and fertilization acts to increase overall biomass.

Conclusions: While laboratory studies demonstrate feasibility, field research revealed that the most important factor to grass health and sustainability is physical maintenance and upkeep.

Learning Objectives:

• 3. Identify turf grass that will not only successfully grow, as to provide an effective barrier to decrease exposure, but potentially remediate the lead from the soil without utilization of a chelator.
  7. Discuss turf grass growth and lead uptake as a function of seed type, soil lead concentration, soil pH, and fertilization.

Keywords: Lead, Environment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.