Concentrations of lead, cadmium and barium in urban garden-grown vegetables: the impact of soil variables.

Paired vegetable/soil samples from New York City and Buffalo, NY, gardens were analyzed for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and barium (Ba). Vegetable aluminum (Al) was measured to assess soil adherence. Soil and vegetable metal concentrations did not correlate; vegetable concentrations varied by crop type. Pb was below health-based guidance values (EU standards) in virtually all fruits. 47% of root crops and 9% of leafy greens exceeded guidance values; over half the vegetables exceeded the 95th percentile of market-basket concentrations for Pb. Vegetable Pb correlated with Al; soil particle adherence/incorporation was more important than Pb uptake via roots. Cd was similar to market-basket concentrations and below guidance values in nearly all samples. Vegetable Ba was much higher than Pb or Cd, although soil Ba was lower than soil Pb. The poor relationship between vegetable and soil metal concentrations is attributable to particulate contamination of vegetables and soil characteristics that influence phytoavailability.

Exploratory assessment of sportfish consumption and polybrominated diphenyl ether exposure in New York State anglers.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the influence of sportfish consumption on body burden of nine polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners in 36 New York State (NYS) anglers. Participating anglers who had previously reported consuming sportfish from Lake Ontario and its tributaries were found to have significantly higher blood plasma levels of BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, and the sum of measured PBDE congeners (SigmaPBDE), than anglers who had previously reported no consumption of sportfish from these waters. Bivariate analysis was used to evaluate potential dietary predictors of PBDE plasma levels, including indicators of consumption of sportfish, as well as commercial fish, wild waterfowl, dairy products, and beef. The number of years of reported consumption of Lake Ontario sportfish between 1980 and 1990 was found to be correlated with plasma levels of BDE-47, BDE-85, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154, and SigmaPBDE. The number of meals, eaten in the year prior to study participation, of Lake Ontario sportfish species known to have high levels of other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) was correlated with plasma levels of BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-85, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-154, and SigmaPBDE. Multiple linear regression revealed that the number of years consuming Lake Ontario sportfish between 1980 and 1990, after adjusting for plasma lipids, was a weak, but statistically significant, predictor of SigmaPBDE plasma levels (beta=0.130, 95% CI: 0.007-0.254). These results suggest that sportfish consumption can contribute measurably to PBDE body burden in NYS anglers, although there are likely to be additional, more significant, sources of exposure.