Plants take up contaminants through their roots

Recent studies shows that plants take up contaminants in water through their roots. While most of us think of plants as using minerals from soil or mineral supplements they also take up contaminants including pharmaceuticals. Numerous public water sources have proven to contain pharmaceuticals and hormones as well as the ‘forever chemicals’ PFA and PFOA. Are these something you want in your plants?

If you’re using unfiltered city water to grow your plants then it’s likely the plant material you intend to consume contains contaminants that you’d just as soon not digest. A study published in the National Library of Medicine documents the fact that plants take up unregulated pharmaceuticals and hormones that are present in the water supply.

More bad news is that rainwater now contains PFAs and PFOAs all around the planet. Once considered a highly desirable source of water it is contaminated. Rainwater refreshes every water source on earth: rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and well water. Learn more here: rainwater

So how does this affect your health when these contaminants are present in your plants. At this point the issue is acknowledged as a public health concern but no quantitative analysis has been provided. Given the fact that low levels of pharmaceuticals in drinking water have been shown to affect cell function in studies done in Italy, I recommend appropriate filtration of you water source before using it for your garden.

We’ve learned that plants take up contaminants from their source water via their roots. If you are growing plants to consume is this something you desire? If you are unsure what filtration system to use you may contact me to review your local water report. By reviewing both the listed contaminants and the water source I can help you determine what system to use.