ABSTRACT
The soil arsenic concentrations in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, are above national averages as a result of both the natural geology of the region and the release of arsenic-containing waste during local gold mining processes. The presence of elevated soil arsenic concentrations raised concerns about the safety of arsenic levels in residentially grown vegetables. Accordingly, the arsenic levels in voluntarily donated residential vegetables and fruits were studied. The possibility that residential soil had been historically augmented with arsenic contaminated waste from the mines prompted the study of worst-case scenario gardens. For the latter study, two gardens were constructed: one on mine property, and one using soil from a nearby lakeshore that was contaminated with arsenic.
