Characterization and Within-Site Variation of Environmental Metal Concentrations Around a Contaminated Site Using a Community-Engaged Approach

Details

• Personal Author:
  Chapin C ; Iceman C ; Peaslee GF ; Peller J ; Ringwald P ; Sisk M ; Tighe ME ; Wells EM
• Description:
  Historic industrial activity led to extensive lead and arsenic contamination within residential areas of East Chicago, Indiana, United States. Although remediation is underway, community concerns about this contamination remain. Therefore, the goal for this analysis was to characterize environmental contamination in soil within and around these areas. A total of 228 samples from 32 different sites (addresses) were collected by community members or study staff. These were analyzed for metals using portable x-ray fluorescence or inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. Concentrations exceeding EPA screening levels were found for 42% of the soil arsenic samples, 35% of the soil lead samples, and 79% of the soil manganese samples; a few samples also contained elevated copper or zinc. Concentrations above EPA screening levels were identified both within and outside of the formally designated contaminated area. Roughly 30% of all sites had at least one sample above and one sample below the screening level for arsenic, lead, and manganese. For sites within the contaminated area, more than 90% (arsenic), 60% (lead) and 60% (manganese) of the samples exceeded EPA screening levels. There was a significant association of proximity to the historic industrial site with elevated soil concentrations of arsenic and lead; a similar association was present for manganese. These results are consistent with existing data for lead and arsenic and we additionally report elevated concentrations of manganese and a high within-site variability of all metal concentrations. These findings should be considered in future remediation efforts. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Arsenic Dust Environmental Pollution Inorganic Chemicals Lead Manganese Metals Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Lead Citizen Science Community Based Environmental Contamination Environmental Health Monitoring Remediation Soil Soil Sampling
• ISSN:
  0045-6535
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Indiana ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  272
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20067245
• Citation:
  Chemosphere 2021 Jun; 272:129915
• Contact Point Address:
  Ellen M. Wells, School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
• Email:
  wells54@purdue.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Arsenic (CAS RN 7440-38-2) ; Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1) ; Manganese (CAS RN 7439-96-5)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• Performing Organization:
  Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20010701
• Source Full Name:
  Chemosphere
• End Date:
  20270630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:41110ce6817a708493e6b2da6aff0a8ce0d2a3b411d687a35420e3244c4a8c474776c6b9f22f5b1b498abc4a82c86d2d398d55b7eb5c6c028de6668a41803287
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/231364/cdc_231364_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.11 MB ]