Soil–Plant Transfer Factors for Garden Produce from Contaminated Soils: Site Specific versus Generic Estimates for As and Pb

Abstract

ABSTRACT Using publicly available data for contaminated sites, regression relationships between As or Pb concentrations in co-located soils and leaf, root, and fruit vegetables, were developed. The improvement of these regression relationships by additional independent variables known to influence bioavailability of these trace elements in soil (soil pH, available phosphorous, Fe oxide, total Fe, and organic carbon content) was tested. Soil pH, but not plant-available P, decreased unexplained variation in the model for As in leafy vegetables. Iron oxide concentration in soil reduced unexplained variability in As concentrations in root vegetables, but with a positive coefficient thus contradicting its anticipated role as a competitor for As uptake by plants. None of the soil characteristics beyond total Pb concentration reduced variability observed in Pb concentrations in leafy or root vegetables, and there was no model that predicted Pb concentrations in fruit. Predictions of tissue concentration from single-value Plant-Uptake Factors (PUFs) for As in leaf and root vegetables, and for Pb accumulation in root vegetables, deviated more from the observed values than predictions from the regression relationships. The FW PUF determined from this study was within an order of magnitude of that used by the United Kingdom for development of generic soil quality values.