I was looking for info on lead. I wondered if the presence of lead in soil could get into fruits and vegetables growing in them and then give me brain damage at age 40.

A few google searches later I found that:

  •  "Soil naturally has small amounts of lead in it, about 50 ppm. 200-500 ppm of lead is commonly found in city soil. 1,000 ppm is a high amount of lead in soil and is defined as hazardous waste."
  • "In general, vegetables that are grown in soil containing lead do not absorb much lead. Soil with lead is more dangerous to children who play in it than to children who eat vegetables grown in it."
  • One way to reduce lead in soil is to add compost or lime to it.
  • To minimize absorption of lead by plants, Maintain soil pH levels above 6.5, Add organic matter to your soil, Locate your garden as far away from busy streets or highways and older buildings as possible.
  • Some states have testing centers where one can send soil samples to test for lead content. There are also kits to test for lead at home.