On National Gardening Day, PVAMU researcher tackles hidden danger in fertilizers

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PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (April 14, 2025) - As gardeners across the country dig into spring planting for National Gardening Day (April 14), one Prairie View A&M University scientist is looking beneath the surface - literally - to protect the soil, the food we grow, and the environment at large.

Dr. Gina Maria Chiarella, an assistant professor in the Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry Department, has received a $96,000 grant from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education to take on a growing environmental concern: arsenic contamination in fertilizers.

While the average home gardener may not think twice about what's in their bag of fertilizer, Chiarella's research shows that inorganic arsenic - a toxic element - can build up in soil and be absorbed by crops, posing risks to both food safety and environmental health.

Her project focuses on using iron-based compounds to capture and remove arsenic, creating a safer path forward for agriculture and home gardening alike.

Arsenic contamination isn't just a scientific issue - it's a national one. The Department of Homeland Security has identified chemical contamination as a risk to national security, and the U.S. Geological Survey reports that arsenic can be found in both natural soil and water, as well as in products used in farming and landscaping.

The research is grounded in a simple but powerful idea: fertilizers should nourish, not harm. By developing solutions to eliminate harmful contaminants, the project takes real steps toward healthier ecosystems, safer food, and more sustainable gardening and farming practices.

Whether it's a backyard vegetable patch or large-scale crop production, the safety of soil matters. As the nation celebrates gardening and the joy of growing things, Dr. Chiarella's work is a timely reminder of the science behind what makes healthy communities possible.

A modified version of this article was originally posted at pvamu.edu/research.

-PVAMU-