This doesn't seen to have struck a chord here.
Is there an objective reason to believe that there is a problem?
Soil tests are easy to come by, if you listen to Whyy's gardening progams, anyway--does anyone know if such a test includes Arsenic levels?
Standard soil tests don't test for metals contamination. When I bought my house 6 years ago, I did a fairly extensive search and couldn't locate any that did such testing. The county ag extension office didn't particularly understand why I was asking the question and recommended several test sources, none of which test for metals contamination.
Your friend might be in for a long search.
Objective reasons to believe there is a problem? I don't know for arsenic in particular, but it's not at all unlikely that urban soil could be lead contaminated, have had significant oil spilled or deliberately poured on it, including PCB contaminated oil. Mercury is not impossible. If anyone can dig up (yes, I intended that pun) some numbers on soil contamination, I would be quite interested. I decided my particular house was less likely than many to have spill over from industrial use, so it might be safe to eat from my garden including root vegetables. No noticeable ill-effects.
Cheryl
Cheryl Shipman Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships
The ARCH, 3601 Locust Walk [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Philadelphia, PA 19104 215-898-6066
www.upenn.edu/curf for appointments call: 215-746-6488
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