Abstract
In the United States, the study of lead pollution in soil has focused on older cities throughout the industrialised northern tier of states often referred to as the rust belt. Researchers have not studied the magnitude and extent of contamination in the newly developed portions of the sunbelt region of the south. In order to assess the significance of lead pollution in soils in these areas, an analysis of the lead content in 146 soil samples collected at a one km grid throughout residential portions of Tampa, Florida was undertaken. The results reveal that lead contaminated (>500 μg g−1) soil is present in the older portions of the city and near expressways. A comparison of the results with data collected in an older, northern city demonstrates that the magnitude and extent of the contamination in Tampa are less than found in the larger rust belt city. However, the presence of hazardous levels of lead in soil collected in Tampa is evidence that sunbelt cities must address lead pollution in the urban environment.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Angle, C., McIntire, M. and Vest, G. 1975. Blood lead of Omaha school children — Topographical correlation with industry, traffic and housing. Nebraska Medical Journal, 60, 97–102.
Atsdr, 1988. The nature and extent of lead poisoning in the United States: A Report to Congress. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta.
Body, P.E., Inglis, G., Dolan, P.R. and Mulcahy, D.E. 1991. Environmental lead: A review. Critical Reviews in Environmental Control, 10, 299–310.
Brinkmann, R. 1989. Spatial distribution of soil lead pollution in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Doctoral dissertation, University of Wisconsin -Milwaukee.
Centers for Disease Control. 1985. Preventing Lead Poisoning in Young Children. A Statement by the Centers for Disease Control. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta.
Collins, J.A. 1989. Lead soil and vegetables throughout a catchment with mixed landuse and low-to-moderate traffic density. New Zealand Geography 45, 36–41.
Davies, B.E. 1989. Data handling and pattern recognition for metal contaminated soils. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 11, 137–143.
Fernald, E.A. and Patton, D.J. 1984. Water Resources Atlas of Florida. Florida State University Press, Tallahassee.
Francek, M.A. 1992. Soil lead levels in a small town environment: a case study from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Environmental Pollution, 76, 251–257.
Friedland, A.J. and Johnson, A.H. 1985. Lead distribution and fluxes in a high-elevation forest in northern Vermont. Journal of Environmental Quality, 14, 332–336.
Huntzicker, J.J., Friedlander, S.K. and Davidson, C.I. 1975. Material balance for automobile-emitted lead in Los Angeles Basin. Environmental Science and Technology, 9, 448–457.
Kelepertsis, A.E. and Bibou, A. 1991. Heavy metal contamination of soils at old mining sites on Thasos Island, Greece. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 13, 23–28.
Lessler, M.A. 1988. Lead and lead poisoning from antiquity to modern times. Ohio Journal of Science, 88, 78–84.
Mormino, G.R. and Pozzetta, G.E. 1987. The Immigrant World of Ybor City, Italians and their Latin Neighbors in Tampa 1885–1985. Chicago University Press, Chicago.
McGrath, S.P., and Cunliffe, C.H. 1985. A simplified method for the extraction of the metals Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Ph, Cr, Co, and Mn from soils and sewage sludges. Journal of Scientific Food Agriculture, 36, 794–798.
Mielke, H.W. 1993. Lead dust contaminated U.S.A. communities: comparison of Louisiana and Minnesota. Applied Geochemistry, Supplementary Issue No. 2, 257–261.
Mielke, H.W. and Adams, J. 1989. Environmental Lead Risk in the Twin Cities. Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, H.H. Humphrey Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
Mielke, H.W., Adams, J.L., Reagan, P.L. and Mielke, P.W. Jr. 1989. Soil-dust lead and childhood lead exposure as a function of city size and community traffic flow: the case for lead abatement in Minnesota. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 9, 253–271.
Mielke, H.W., Burroughs, S. and Hassinger, N. 1984. Urban lead levels in Minneapolis: the case of the Hmong children. Environmental Research, 34, 64–76.
Mielke, H.W., Burroughs, S., Wade, R., Yarrow, T. and Mielke, P.W. Jr. 1984/1985. Urban lead in Minnesota: soil transect results of four cities. Minnesota Academy of Science, 50, 19–24.
Miller, W.P., McFee, W.W. and Kelly, J.M. 1983. Mobility and retention of heavy metals in sandy soils. Journal of Environmental Quality, 12, 579–584.
Muskett, C.J. and Jones, M.P. 1980. The dispersal of lead, cadmium and nickel from motor vehicles and effects on roadside invertebrate macrofauna. Environmental Pollution (Series A), 23, 231–242.
Mushak, P., Davis, J.M., Crocetti, A.F. and Grant, L.D. 1989. Prenatal and postnatal effects of low-level lead exposure: integrated summary of a report to the U.S. Congress on childhood lead poisoning. Environmental Research, 50, 11–36.
Rinne, R.J., Linzon, S.N. and Stokes, P.M. 1986. Cleanup of lead contaminated sites the Ontario experience. In: Hemphill, D.D. (ed.), Trace Substances in Environmental Health, pp. 308–321. University of Missouri-Columbia.
Sinclear, A.J. 1980. Statistical analysis of trace element data. In: Davies, B.E. (ed.), Applied Soil Trace Elements, pp. 131–153. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, England.
Thornton, I. and Webb, J.S. 1980. Regional Distribution of Trace Element Problems in Great Britain. In: Davies, B.E. (ed.), Applied Soil Trace Elements, pp. 381–439. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, England.
Turjoman, A.M. and Fuller, W.H. 1987. Behavior of lead as a migrating pollutant in Saudi Arabian soils. Arid Soil Research and Rehabilitation, 1, 31–45.
U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. 1990. Health Effects of Lead Exposure. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Toxic Substances. Environmental Oversight, Research and Development, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
Wheeler, G.L. and Rolfe, G.L. 1979. The relationship between daily traffic volume and the distribution of lead in roadside soil and vegetation. Environmental Pollution, 18, 265–274.
Wood, J.M. and Goldberg, E.D. 1977. Impact of Metals on the Biosphere. In: Stumm, W. (ed.), Global Chemical Cycles and Their Alterations by Man, pp. 137–153. Dahlem Konfernzen, Berlin.
Zimdahl, R.L. and Skogerboe, R.K. 1977. Behavior of lead in soil. Environmental Science and Technology, 11, 1202–1207.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brinkmann, R. Lead pollution in soils adjacent to homes in Tampa, Florida. Environ Geochem Health 16, 59–64 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209825
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209825