LEAD AND ARSENIC IN 2 APRICOT CULTIVARS AND IN GALA APPLES GROWN ON LEAD ARSENATE-CONTAMINATED SOILS

Concerns about food safety prompted a case study of the arsenic and Pb contents of tree fruits grown on lead arsenate-contaminated soil. The arsenic concentration in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) and 'Gala' apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) fruit was positively related to concentrated HCl-extractable soil arsenic. Fruit arsenic in both species did not exceed 70 mug-kg-1 fresh weight (fw). Fruit Pb was below the limits of detection of 20 mug.kg-1 fw for apricot and 24 mug.kg-1 fw for apple. All of these concentrations are substantially below levels associated with human health risk. 'Riland' apricot trees did not show arsenic phytotoxicity at soil, fruit, and leaf arsenic concentrations associated with phytotoxicity symptoms in 'Goldrich' apricots. The apple trees showed no visual symptoms of arsenic phytotoxicity.