Agriculture is a key development in human life that allows for the production and distribution of food. Impacts due to climate change such as increased levels of CO<sub>2</sub>, extended drought conditions, and increased temperature can have negative effects on agricultural processes. Current research has tied increased metal uptake in fruits and vegetables to increased temperatures, though not specifically associated with climate change. Certain trace metals such as Pb and As have been shown to pose health risks to humans. The uptake of trace metals into produce can be monitored using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. The current research begins a 5 to 10-year longitudinal study to analyze how changing temperature affects the amount of trace metal uptake in local produce from states along the Atlantic coast. The metals of focus for the analysis include Al, Cd, Pb, As, Fe, Mn, Zn, Mg, Ca, Ni, Cu, Co, and Cr. XRF spectroscopy is the preferred method of analysis due to the fact that it is greener, faster, and more cost-effective than ICP analysis, but measurements made with ICP spectroscopy can be used to compare and verify the measurements collected from the XRF. Currently 500 samples have been collected at farms and markets in over 10 states. Preliminary results show ranges of detection for Mn (24-52 ppm), Fe (61 - 378 ppm), and Cu (9-304 ppm), which are comparable to published values in other studies. Some metals of possible interest (Co, Ni, Pb and Cd) have not been detected at significant levels in the first round of sample collection. Initial results indicate that XRF and ICP analysis are also comparable. Future analyses may lead to the identification of specific regions or produce samples to monitor.

Assessing the effects of climate change on the release of metals into agricultural products

ACS Spring 2022

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