Relationship between soil lead and airborne lead concentrations at Springfield, Missouri, USA

This study tests whether lead deposited to soil from automobiles during past years in a medium-sized US city Žpopulation 150 000. may present a current health risk. It examines the relationship between current soil lead concentrations at nine locations within the city of Springfield, Missouri, and airborne lead levels measured at the same locations during years Ž1975 1981. when lead emissions from automobiles were much greater than at present. A strong, significant correlation is found between soil and airborne lead levels at eight of the sites Žr 0.91, P 0.005 for soil lead vs. 1979 airborne lead., in low-traffic areas as well as in areas adjacent to heavy traffic flow. Residual lead concentrations in these soils are relatively low, even for the high-traffic sites, as expected for a medium sized city