About

Lead remediation research of local urban gardens encouraged students to promote awareness of lead poisoning among citizens. The community garden and highly lead-contaminated areas are located in underrepresented neighborhoods already fighting for environmental and food justice. The Indianapolis area (Marion County) has one of the highest blood lead levels in children. To provide food for children and promote a healthy lifestyle, the students decided to develop a lead poisoning educational program at schools within areas of the highest risk of lead contamination. Indiana recently released new data on blood lead levels in children residing in the state. As of January 2023, the threshold level is comparable to the CDC level, which is 3.5 µg/dL, reduced from 10 µg/dL.

To prevent lead poisoning in children and spread awareness, research students prepared PowerPoint presentations and pamphlets for children and adults and created a recipe book titled “Detox with Diet: Foods that Fight Lead Poisoning.” They also scripted and produced a video titled “TCTT - Key to Lead Poisoning and Prevention.” The video was accepted by the local health department. To accompany the video and utilize these materials, the students launched a lead poisoning prevention educational program at schools. Before each program, students prepared a sample kit for each child to bring back a soil sample from their yard. During the prevention program, students used an XRF (X-ray fluorescence) gun to test the soil for lead levels and sent a notification letter home to each child’s parents with suggested follow-up steps based on the results. Engaging with the local community enabled students to gain a better understanding of poverty, patience, diversity, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.

Lead poisoning has been an issue for many children residing in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. The lead contamination originates from the American Lead Plant and old housing. The partnership was established with a community center to address the elevated lead levels in the soul in the urban community gardens. The community center maintains a community garden to provide produce to low-income families and promote affordable healthy food. The two-acre community garden was tested to track the contamination plume. The samples were acid digested (EPA, 3050a) and analyzed by AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrometer). The soil samples were also tested by XRF (X-ray fluorescence) to compare the data from both analytical methods. The urban garden was split into small lots by lead concentrations (100-400ppm) with a suggested crop and hyperaccumulator rotation for lead removal. The complete removal of lead with hyperaccumulators was not limited due to the community's need to provide the produce grown in the garden to the citizens in the area. The lots with the higher concentration of lead were covered with mustard, sunflowers, and wildflowers. The lots with elevated levels were covered with tomatoes and peppers as they did not absorb the lead. The soil was measured every two weeks along with vegetables grown in the garden to ensure lead-free produce. The design of phytoremediation allowed the vegetables grown in the garden to be supplied to the community store, while still removing the lead from the soil with the highest lead levels to foster the community mission of environmental justice.

See Indiana Department of Health: Search the American Lead Environmental Advisory Area for more information.

Fast fashion has raised concerns in recent years due to its often lax quality controls. Lead contamination in clothing, particularly in children’s apparel, can pose serious health risks. This project will investigate lead concentrations in children’s fast fashion clothing, assessing compliance with the U.S. regulation of 100 parts per million (ppm). However, continuous testing at the border is not feasible. This research aims to underscore the need for enhanced oversight and stricter testing requirements for imported apparel.

This project investigates the use of solidification and stabilization techniques with Portland cement to safely incorporate lead-contaminated soil into sidewalk construction. The goal is to minimize lead leaching and reduce exposure in urban areas where contaminated soil is prevalent, such as parks and sidewalks.

To evaluate the risk of lead leaching under different environmental conditions, three leaching tests were conducted:

1. Fast Permutation – Simulating rapid water flow through the material.

2. Slow Permutation – Replicating slower water infiltration over time.

3. Soaking – Immersing the material in water for extended periods, as might happen in areas prone to flooding or heavy rain.

In addition to the leaching tests, concrete blocks were made using the contaminated soil and soaked in water to simulate real-world sidewalk conditions.

This project investigates the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals, specifically the occurrence and persistence of ibuprofen in natural waters. The project includes ibuprofen behaviors after wastewater is released into the river and the removal of ibuprofen by rhizofiltration.

The community garden's soil was tested in September 2023 to assess lead contamination. Research leaders and assistants developed a phytoremediation plan, beginning in Spring 2024, and engaged with the community to understand the garden's specific needs. Soil samples were collected and tested for lead levels to map the contamination plume. Two different X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometers were used to measure identical soil samples. Data from each instrument was collected and analyzed. In addition to the XRF screenings, samples were digested with acid (EPA Method 3050a) and analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Statistical methods were applied to correlate soil moisture with lead concentrations, as XRF measurements are affected by moisture in soil samples. Due to this inaccuracy, the XRF screening is not EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved for soil testing [1]. However, XRF serves as a great indicator of soil lead concentrations before pursuing AAS, as the digestion process is time-intensive. The results were shared with the public via a Google Maps site [2] and through presentations with community members.