Copper, chromium, and arsenic levels in soils surrounding posts treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA)

The levels of copper, chromium, and arsenic in soil surrounding CCA-treated posts and beneath CCA-treated stakes were investigated at a plot near Gainesville, Florida. Metal levels were elevated in soil immediately adjacent to the treated wood, but decreased with distance away or depth. Mean extractable arsenic levels ranged from 1.74 to 8.19 ppm immediately adjacent to the posts, but declined to less than 1 ppm in samples 150 and 300 mm away, regardless of depth sampled. The results suggest that soil contamination due to the presence of CCA-treated wood for 45 years is minimal