Urban legacies and soil management affect the concentration and speciation of trace metals in Los Angeles community garden soils

To better understand patterns of metal contamination in the soils of community gardens, concentrations and bioavailability of lead, arsenic, and cadmium were tested in 12 gardens in Los Angeles. All metal concentrations were higher closer to roads, suggesting vehicular emissions. Some forms of lead increased with neighborhood age, suggesting lead paint as a source. There were a number of interactions related to different geochemical phases of the metals. The authors suggest that greater knowledge of these interactions would improve the incorporation of contamination patterns into urban planning.