permaculture

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

Heavy metals accumulations in food crops &  Dr. Rufus Chaney USDA
Beltsville expert on this.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: matthew


Heavy metal contamination most often occurs with industrial wastes. Sewage
sludge  from larger cities with factories dumping wastes may have high and
toxic quantities of certain heavy metals. Milorganite is composted
municipal wastes from Milwaukee and is sold as a fertilizer. I don't think
the use of composted Sewage sludge is considered organic.
Cadmium may accumulate near roadways as it sloughs off of automobile tires.
There are many heavy metals that never make it into food as they are
tightly bonded to soil particles. Some like lead may accumulate in leafy
plant parts but won't be present in flowers and fruit.
Cadmium, lead, arsenic and zinc I recall are most likely to be taken up by
plants and might likely be metals of concern in growing food crops.
Dr. Rufus Chaney , USDA Beltsville is still a l
leading expert in heavy metals and plant accumulations.
Know what you want to be testing for. Each metal to be analyzed may cost
hundreds of dollars.



-- 
Lawrence F. London, Jr.
lfljvenaura@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/site/avantgeared