Compost amendment in urban gardens: elemental and isotopic analysis of soils and vegetable tissues

• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34240-7
• Publication Date: 2024-07-10T08:02:58Z
• Authors: Simone Trimmel; Stefan Wagner; Laura Feiner; Maria Feiner; Daniela Haluza; Rebecca Hood-Nowotny; Ulrike Pitha; Thomas Prohaska; Markus Puschenreiter; Philipp Spörl; Andrea Watzinger; Elisabeth Ziss; Johanna Irrgeher
• Keywords: Amendment; Soil test

Urban horticulture poses a sustainable form of food production, fosters community engagement and mitigates the impacts climate change on cities. Yet, it can also be tied to health challenges related soil contamination. This work builds previous study conducted eleven urban gardens in city Vienna, Austria. Following findings elevated Pb levels some plant samples within that project, present investigates elemental composition plants from two affected 1 year after compost amendment. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis skin, pulp seeds tomato fruits revealed minor variations which are unlikely have an impact safety. In turn, tendency contaminant accumulation root tips leaves radishes was found. Washing lettuce led significant reduction contents potentially toxic elements such as Be, Al, V, Ni, Ga Tl, underscoring significance washing garden products before consumption. Furthermore, amendments promising results, with reduced Zn, Cd radish bulbs. isotope ratios spinach leaf taken were assessed by multi-collector (MC-) ICP-MS trace uptake soils into food. A direct linkage between isotopic signatures those observed, their effectiveness tracers sources environment.