Published: October 31, 2022
Test results for four soil samples sent in by a Lead Safe Mama reader from Muscatine, Iowa. Samples are tested multiple times to confirm the results. Samples are tested using XRF technology (which – when testing soil – typically produces test results within the same range as sending samples to a lab for digestive testing.) Results reported below are for one full set of test results with at least a 60-second reading for each soil sample tested. To understand the implications of this testing, please read this article which discusses the relevant regulatory limits / guidelines for Lead in soil.
If you are interested in having your soil tested by Lead Safe Mama, LLC please note we will not be testing soil again until Mid-December (2022) and have a 6 to 8 week turn around. Please contact us in advance of sending in a soil sample to find out what our current turn around time for testing may be. (Here’s the link with details about sending your soil in for testing.) To see more examples of soil samples we have tested and reported here on the website, click here.
Reading #1) Front Tree
- Lead (Pb): 135 +/- 13 ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Tin (Sn): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Selenium (Se): non-detect
- Barium (Ba): 2,452 +/- 221 ppm
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Copper (Cu): 39 +/- 19 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 39 +/- 14 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 7,657 +/- 155 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): 25 +/- 9 ppm
- No other metals detected
Reading #2) Back Tree
- Lead (Pb): 477 +/- 24 ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): 9 +/- 4 ppm
- Tin (Sn): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Selenium (Se): non-detect
- Barium (Ba): 96 +/- 27 ppm
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Copper (Cu): 42 +/- 20 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 234 +/- 22 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 399 +/- 143 ppm
- Zirconium (Zr): 378 +/- 12 ppm
- Niobium (Nb): 259 +/- 16 ppm
- Indium (In): 14 +/- 6 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 24,900 +/- 600 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): non-detect
- No other metals detected
Reading #3) Front Porch
- Lead (Pb): 1,446 +/- 40 ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): 9 +/- 4 ppm
- Tin (Sn): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Selenium (Se): non-detect
- Barium (Ba): 91 +/- 24 ppm
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Copper (Cu): non-detect
- Zinc (Zn): 263 +/- 21 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 337 +/- 126 ppm
- Zirconium (Zr): 341 +/- 10 ppm
- Niobium (Nb): non-detect
- Indium (In): non-detect
- Iron (Fe): 20,200 +/- 400 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): non-detect
- No other metals detected
Reading #4) Back Porch
- Lead (Pb): 5,147 +/- 113ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Tin (Sn): 19 +/- 8 ppm
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Selenium (Se): non-detect
- Barium (Ba): 171 +/- 30 ppm
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Copper (Cu): 49 +/- 22 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 663 +/- 39 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 833 +/- 166 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 1,497 +/- 947 ppm
- Zirconium (Zr): 382 +/- 13 ppm
- Niobium (Nb): non-detect
- Indium (In): non-detect
- Iron (Fe): 22,100 +/- 500 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): non-detect
- No other metals detected
For those new to this website
Tamara Rubin is a Federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. Tamara’s sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in August of 2005. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009 and was the parent-advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. Her work was also responsible for two CPSC product recalls in the summer of 2022, the Jumping Jumperoo recall (June 2022) and the Lead painted NUK baby bottle recall (July 2022) and was featured in an NPR story about Lead in consumer goods in August of 2022. Tamara uses XRF testing (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals), including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic. All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable. Items are tested multiple times, to confirm the test results for each component tested and reported on. Please click through to this link to learn more about the testing methodology used for the test results discussed and reported on this website.
Sam says
Hi Tamara,
Thank you for the work you’re doing! With this level of lead in the soil, would you recommend not letting your children play in the yard, or not growing food in the yard? Just want to better understand what this means! Love the work that you do!
Shaina says
She mentioned to me that children are not recommended to play in anything above 100. I would assume we also should not grow food in this soil!