Trace metals in Montreal urban soils and the leaves of Taraxacum officinale

Uptake of Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, and Cd by Taraxacum officinale Weber (dandelion) growing on abandoned industrial sites, community gardens and parks in urban Montreal was measured to evaluate trace metal bioavailability. Total soil trace metal concentrations exceeded the Canadian remediation levels only in the industrial sites, but tissue concentrations at all land use types were normal. Multiple regression analysis suggests that available PO 4 may reduce uptake of Cu and Zn. It is evident that sites classified as contaminated on the basis of total soil metal may have low levels of bioavailability.