Murray McBride

The focus of my research at present is the bioavailability of toxic and trace metals in soils to crops, animals, and humans, considering all of the properties of soils that modify this bioavailability. Ultimately, this research has several goals, protecting food crops from toxic metal contaminants, minimizing trace element deficiencies, and developing methods for testing and remediating contaminated soils.

Outreach and Extension Focus

As part of my outreach activities, I am involved in working with extension staff at Cornell in developing guidelines and publications on the management of toxic metals that may be found at elevated concentrations in some farm and garden soils. Practical methods of remediating contaminated soils are being investigated, and recommendations are being conveyed to growers based on these findings. Improved methods of testing contaminated soils for toxic metals such as lead, zinc, cadmium, arsenic and copper, and interpreting these tests, is also a focus of my outreach effort. The goal is to provide farmers and gardeners with science-based information to minimize their exposure to toxic metals and other contaminants in soils as well as improve crop quality.

Selected Publications

View publications on Google Scholar.

• McBride, M. B., Frenchmeyer, M., Kelch, S. E., & Aristilde, L. (2017). Solubility, structure, and morphology in the co-precipitation of cadmium and zinc with calcium-oxalate. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. 486:309-315.
• McBride, M. B., Shayler, H. A., Spliethoff, H. M., Mithcell, R. G., Marquez-Bravo, L. G., Ferenz, G. S., Russell-Anelli, J., Casey, L., & Bachman, S. (2014). Concentrations of lead, cadmium and barium in urban garden-grown vegetables: The impact of soil variables. Environmental Pollution. 194:254-261.
• Xiao, X., Sun, S. P., McBride, M. B., & Lemley, A. T. (2012). Degradation of ciprofloxacin by cryptomelane-type manganese (III/IV) oxides. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 20:768-779.
• Udovic, M., & McBride, M. B. (2012). Influence of compost addition on lead and arsenic bioavailability in reclaimed orchard soil assessed using Porcellio scaber bioaccumulation test. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 205-206:144-149.
• McBride, M. B., Simon, T., Tam, G., & Wharton, S. (2012). Lead and arsenic uptake by leafy vegetables grown on contaminated soils: Effects of mineral and organic amendments. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution. 224:1378.
• Wharton, S. E., Shayler, H. A., Spliethoff, H. M., Marquez-Bravo, L. G., Ribaudo, L., & McBride, M. B. (2012). A comparison of screening tests for soil Pb. Soil Science. 177:650-654.
• McBride, M. B. (2011). A comparison of reliability of soil cadmium determination by standard spectrometric methods. JEQ: Journal of Environmental Quality. 40:1863-1869.
• McBride, M. B., X C Chen ,, G C Chen,, L G Chen,, Y X Chen ,, Lehmann, J., & Hay, A. G. (2011). Adsorption of copper and zinc by biochars produced from pyrolysis of hardwood and corn straw in aqueous solution. Bioresource Technology. 102:8877-8884.
• McBride, M. B., B J Kim ,, Y S Kim ,, B M Kim ,, & Hay, A. G. (2011). Effect of soil metal contamination on glyphosate mineralization: role of zinc in the mineralization rates of two copper-spiked mineral soils. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 30:596-601.
• McBride, M. B., Pitiranggon, M., & Kim, B. (2009). A Comparison of Tests for Extractable Copper and Zinc in Metal-Spiked and Field-Contaminated Soil. Soil Science. 174:439-444.