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Origin of trace elements in an urban garden in Nantes, France

  • Soils and Sediments in Urban and Mining Areas
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Due to their location on old urban sites, impacted by human activities or road traffic, soils in urban gardens are often contaminated with a range of contaminants that could pose health risks. The aim of this study is to determine the origin of high trace element concentrations (arsenic and lead) in an urban community garden.

Materials and methods

Trace elements were quantified in situ in the topsoil (0–20 cm) of the 95 plots of the garden and in four soil profiles, using a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. The accuracy of the spectrometer results was checked by measuring trace element concentrations by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after an acid digestion (HF and HClO4). Leafy and root vegetables were sampled to assess lead transfer in vegetables. The accumulation of lead in vegetables was measured by ICP-MS after an aqua regia digestion. The bioaccessibility of lead was estimated by a calcium chloride extraction.

Results and discussion

Three anomaly levels could be defined from the mapping of arsenic and lead on the whole garden. The increase of trace elements content with depth, in correlation with pedological/geological characteristics, supports the hypothesis of a geogenic origin of these anomalies. The enrichment of the topsoil is related to the pedogenesis of soil, from micaschists as parent material. The geogenic origin of lead does not prevent its accumulation by vegetables.

Conclusions

Although trace element anomalies have generally an anthropogenic origin, some anomalies may also have a natural (geogenic) origin, as shown in this study. The comprehension of lead origin, the mapping of its spatial distribution in the garden and the characterisation of its accumulation in vegetables were used as a basis for operational decisions including soil management. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry is a well-adapted method for this purpose. It allows an in situ and fast semiquantitative investigation on a lot of sampling points, saving time and laboratory analysis cost.

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Acknowledgments

The results of this study were integrated into the multi-disciplinary project, JASSUR (Urban Community Gardens and sustainable cities), which carries out in the framework of the “Sustainable Cities and Buildings” (VBD) programme of The French National Research Agency (ANR).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. French Institute of Science and Technology for Transport, Development and Networks (IFSTTAR), Geotechnical Engineering, Environment, Natural Hazards and Earth Sciences Department, Centre de Nantes, Route de Bouaye, CS4, 44344, Bouguenais cedex, France

    Liliane Jean-Soro & Béatrice Bechet

  2. BRGM, Direction régionale des Pays de la Loire, 1 rue des Saumonières, BP 92342, 44323, Nantes cedex 3, France

    Cécile Le Guern

  3. UMR LPGN 6112 CNRS, LUNAM, Université de Nantes, 2, rue de la Houssinière, BP 92208, 44322, Nantes, France

    Thierry Lebeau

  4. The Parks and Gardens and Environment Department, City of Nantes, 2, rue de l’Hôtel de Ville, 44094, Nantes cedex 1, France

    Marie-France Ringeard

  5. IRSTV (Institut de Recherche sur les Sciences et Techniques de la ville), FR CNRS 2488, 1 rue de la Noë, BP 92101, 44321, Nantes, France

    Liliane Jean-Soro, Cécile Le Guern, Béatrice Bechet & Thierry Lebeau

Authors
  1. Liliane Jean-Soro
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  2. Cécile Le Guern
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  3. Béatrice Bechet
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  4. Thierry Lebeau
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  5. Marie-France Ringeard
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Liliane Jean-Soro.

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Responsible editor: Gerd Wessolek

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Jean-Soro, L., Le Guern, C., Bechet, B. et al. Origin of trace elements in an urban garden in Nantes, France. J Soils Sediments 15, 1802–1812 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-014-0952-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-014-0952-y

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