Farming

Gardening practices and plant selection in outdoors lead contaminated environment can minimize lead incorporation in crops. The addition of organic matter to the soil as well as a pH higher than 6, decreases lead incorporation by vegetables. Fruiting crops should be preferred to root crops and leafy vegetables should only be grown inside. Lead concentration in soil will be higher than in plants, therefore, vegetables should be carefully washed before consumption. Animal food tends to have lower lead levels than plants. Lead is more or less incorporated depending on animal species. When eating animals, poultry should be preferred; pigs, goats and rabbits come next, and finally cattle and sheep.

Adult animals are also safer, since young animals concentrate more lead than adults. Lead concentrating organs such as bones, liver, kidney, bone marrow, brain and testes should be avoided. Lead in seawater is very dilute and the concentration of lead in seafood should remain low.

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