Background: High levels of heavy metals in food are general concerns including carcinogenic effects. According to studies, the accumulation of heavy metals in crops and consumption of these products in diet, has led to serious health concerns. This study investigated the concentrations of lead and cadmium in popular agricultural products. Methods: In this descriptive study, some fresh agricult...

During a metal speciation study, an unusually high retention of lead ·was observed when lead solution was percolated through a column packed with sludge compost obtained from Hampton Roads Sanitation department. A bacterium was isolated from the sludge compost and identified as Bacillus sphaericus using electron microscopy, whole cell fatty acid analysis (Midi System) and Biolog GP Microplate. ...