Soil Toxicity in post-katrina New Orleans

Transcription

1 Soil Toxicity in post-katrina New Orleans William Kern 1, Scott Bell 2, Amy Kracker Selzer 3 1 Center for Environmental Studies, Brown University 2 Population Studies and S4, Brown & University of Saskatchewan 3 Department of Sociology, Brown University

2 Background Cancer Alley 284 locations listed as actual or potential brownfields (Frickel and Vincent 2007) Landfills Gas stations Autobody Shops Industry Toxic gumbo

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4 Remediation Levels Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action Program (RECAP) address risks to human health and the environment posed by the release of chemical constituents to the environment (LDEQ 2003) Tiered framework Screening option 3 management options

5 EPA Data Fall samples at 279 sites Heavy metals Semi-volatile organic compounds (svocs) Biased towards flooded areas Previous mapping limitations with EPA data

6 Our Study Goals Characterize post-katrina soil toxicity in New Orleans (soil collection & analysis) Explore possible flood effect on contaminant distribution (mapping & comparison) Environmental Justice: who is affected by toxicity? the storm s impact was disproportionately borne by the region s African American community, by people who rented their homes, and by the poor and unemployed (Logan, January 2006).

7 Contaminants Lead (Pb) Kindney, liver, immune & nervous system damage Neurotoxin neurobehavioral impairment Source Paint Leaded fuel RECAP = 400 ppm

8 Contaminants Arsenic (As) Carcinogen Lung, skin, liver, bladder Copper chromated arsenate (CCA) Pressure-treated lumber Water soluble RECAP = 12 ppm

9 Contaminants Pathways for contamination 2 years since the storm Flooding Cleanup Renovation Reconstruction

10 Our Design Neighborhoods of Orleans Parish 72 Composited from 6 grab samples

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12 Greater New Orleans Community Data Center (2002)

13 N3

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15 Our Design Neighborhoods of Orleans Parish 72 Composited from 6 grab samples Schools 49 sites representing 53 schools (2 sites were not sampled, 4 sites contained 2 schools each) Composited from 2 to 8 grab samples

16 E59 N3 S42

17 Field Work Scouting trip July 2007 Extended trip August 2007

18 Sample Analysis 121 soil samples 200+ total samples including standards and blanks Each sample run on ICP and graphite furnace AA -Inductively Coupled Plasma spectrometry -Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS)

19 Results Neighborhoods 29% above Pb RECAP (21 / 72) 25% above As RECAP (18 / 72) 10% above both (7 / 72)

20 Results

21 Results

22 Results Schools 31% above Pb RECAP (15/49) 39% above As RECAP (19/49) 22% above both (11/49) Children have a 47% chance of going to a school that is over RECAP for lead, arsenic, or both.

23 Results

24 Results

25 Conclusions Lead distribution similar to pre-katrina data

26 A (Mielke 2007). B. Fall 2005 (Plumlee 2006). C. August D. August 2007 with flood layer.

27 Conclusions Lead distribution similar to pre-katrina data Arsenic toxicity does not exhibit clear floodrelated pattern NRDC study 63 EPA post-katrina samples elevated arsenic 4 were elevated pre-katrina

28 Conclusions Lead distribution similar to pre-katrina data Arsenic toxicity does not exhibit clear floodrelated pattern Environmental History Environmental Justice Immediate vs. Future implications

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30 Future Work Focused sampling on schools From this study Newly opened/opening schools

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33 Future Work Focused sampling on schools From this study Newly opened/opening schools Focused sampling on certain areas Relative success of Ag. St. Landfill remediation Monitoring of remediation

34 Thanks to Collaborators Scott Bell Advisor Amy Kracker-Selzer Thesis Committee Steven Hamburg Rachel Morello-Frosch Soil sample analysis David Murray and Joe Orchardo Environmental Studies staff Patti Caton Betsy Barlow Special Thanks Family & Friends CES Graduate Students Environmental Studies faculty GIS assistance Lynn Carlson Sponsors National Science Foundation Social Science Research Council Environmental Change Initiative, Brown University Spatial Structures in the Social Sciences, Brown University

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