Addressing Health Inequities in South Chattanooga: Lead Contamination and Childhood Lead Poisoning

Proceedings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Dawn Ford ◽  
Rosa Cantu ◽  
Zachary North ◽  
Tes Cherian ◽  
Kavina Patel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Lead Contamination ◽  
Soil Lead ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
University Of Tennessee ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Public Meetings ◽  
Health Fairs ◽  
The Impact

Soil lead contamination is an environmental health risk that greatly affects children in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Southside Chattanooga Lead Superfund Site was added to the National Priorities List in late 2018 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has designated the clean-up threshold for soil lead contamination to be equal to or over 360 parts per million. For the EPA to conduct soil testing and proceed with clean-up, a signed access authorization letter from the tenant or property owner must be submitted. As of 7 May 2019, there are still 4371 properties to test with an estimated 1100 expected to be above the remediation threshold. Despite mailing the letters and having several public meetings, the rate of return is approximately thirty percent for access authorization forms. To increase the response rate, local non-profit agencies, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) Lions Club, and the UTC Master’s in Public Health program have been involved in educating the community. Efforts include community health fairs, grant-funded community-based blood lead testing for children, and a door-to-door canvassing campaign where residents are informed of the issue, provided with educational materials, and asked to sign and return access authorization letters to the EPA. The impact of community engagement is measured by the number/proportion of residents engaged, the number of signed authorization forms submitted, and the number of children tested for elevated blood lead levels. This poster presentation will discuss lead contamination in Chattanooga, and the results of our engagement work in the community.

scholarly journals American Robin (Turdus Migratorius) Blood Lead Levels May Reflect Elevated Soil Lead Levels: Further Consequences of the Flint Water Crisis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy Louise Zahor ◽  
Kenneth Joseph Glynn ◽  
Jamie M. Cornelius
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Water Crisis ◽  
Turdus Migratorius ◽  
American Robin ◽  
Soil Lead ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
The Impact

Abstract High levels of pollutants often occur in urban environments and can pose a threat to human residents as well as local wildlife. The Flint, Michigan water crisis was caused by the corrosion of pipe infrastructure, resulting in high levels of lead (Pb) leaching into the drinking water. Irrigation with contaminated water may have introduced lead into the soil causing another source of exposure to humans as well as wildlife. A widespread songbird species, the American robin (Turdus migratorius), feeds heavily on earthworms and ingests large amounts of soil during foraging. This study investigated the impact of the Flint water crisis on American robin blood lead levels (BLL) during the breeding season in southeast MI by comparing BLL of birds captured at irrigated sites of Flint to those captured at unirrigated sites in Flint, irrigated sites in a nearby city (Ypsilanti) and rural sites. Robins captured at irrigated Flint sites had nearly double BLL compared to unirrigated Flint sites and all other control sites. Body condition declined with increasing BLL at these irrigated sites of Flint, suggesting a measurable fitness impact of lead at these levels. Because BLL in American robins is known to reflect soil lead levels and soil lead is a known driver of BLL in children, robins may act as a bioindicator for urban communities. Further research should determine the efficacy of using robin BLL as a bioindicator of soil lead and how lead might be impacting body condition and other long-term fitness metrics in urban wildlife.

scholarly journals Assessing the Presence of Soil Lead Contamination on the Premises of Air Liquide Ghana Limited in Tema, Ghana

2020 ◽  
pp. 60-65
Author(s):  
Prince M. Gyekye ◽  
Adams Sadick ◽  
Felix O. Ababio ◽  
Mohammed Musah ◽  
Calys Tagoe Edward
Keyword(s):  
Atomic Absorption ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Threshold Value ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Lead Contamination ◽  
Protection Agency ◽  
Soil Lead ◽  
Lead Compounds ◽  
Concentration Levels ◽  
Over Time

A study was conducted to determine the extent of site contamination by Lead (Pb) present in the soil on the premises of Air Liquide Ghana Limited, and give the appropriate recommendation for decontamination, where necessary. Eighteen (18) soil samples were collected from the study area using an augur. The geographical coordinates and elevations of the samples were recorded with the GPS. The samples were analyzed in the laboratory using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. In the absence of present standards from the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), both the Dutch List and the International List standard were used to evaluate the concentration levels of Pb in the soil. Results from the analysis revealed that the concentration of lead (Pb) initially exceeded the international threshold of the Dutch intervention value of 530 mg/kg in some sample areas. Nine locations of the sample areas where diesel was being stored, S2-Diese Tank and Smoking Area S5-Smoking Area recorded values of 636.4 mg/kg and 602 respectively which is above the recommended threshold. The control recorded below the threshold value of 530 mg/kg. The study also showed that Lead compounds attached to soil particles took a shorter time to break down to reduce the levels of concentration over time.

scholarly journals Assessment of the Presence of Soil Lead Contamination Near a Former Lead Smelter in Mombasa, Kenya

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bret Ericson ◽  
Victor Odongo Otieno ◽  
Cecelia Nganga ◽  
Judith St. Fort ◽  
Mark Patrick Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Surface Soil ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Lead Contamination ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Lead Smelter ◽  
Soil Lead

Background. The informal settlement of Owino Uhuru near an abandoned lead smelter attracted international attention due to an apparent lead poisoning event. Despite this attention, the environmental data collected to date do not indicate high levels of residual contamination. Objectives. To further confirm previous findings and determine any necessary risk mitigation measures, an assessment of surface soil lead concentrations was conducted in the community. Methods. Investigators carried out an assessment of the soil in a ~12,000 m2 section of the Owino Uhuru neighborhood over the course of a single day in June 2017 with the assistance of community leaders. Fifty-nine in situ soil measurements were taken using an Innov-X tube-based (40 kV) alpha X-ray fluorescence instrument (pXRF). Results. The assessment found that mean surface soil lead concentrations in areas conducive to exposure were 110 mg/kg (95% CI: 54–168); below United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Environment Canada screening levels of 400 mg/kg and 140 mg/kg, respectively. Conclusions. There is likely no current need for risk mitigation activities in the community. These results could inform discussions on the allocation of public health spending. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests. BE, VOO, CN and JSF are employees of Pure Earth. MPT sits on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Health and Pollution.

МАРКЕТИНГОВІ АСПЕКТИ ФУНКЦІОНУВАННЯ ЛІТЕРАТУРНИХ КОНКУРСІВ ТА ПРЕМІЙ

2020 ◽  
pp. 90
Author(s):  
O. Bondar
Keyword(s):  
Publishing House ◽  
Target Audience ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Information Support ◽  
Literary Field ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Functional Aspects ◽  
The Media ◽  
Literary Prizes ◽  
The Impact

<p><em>In this study, I have collected and summarized the functional aspects of a literary prize, contest, and rating, which indicate their affiliation with the marketing complex of the publishing house for the first time. For this purpose, I have analyzed and summarized the common concepts of the functioning of literary prizes and contests as advertising tools for publishing activity. Because the previous studies are only focused on the fact of the impact of the prize on the promotion of editions but do not explain it, these aspects have been considered and introduced by me from the book production’s point of view. I investigated that the prizes and the contests in the literary field are effective marketing tools, which meet many publisher’s needs at the same time and can be considered a non-profit form of capital. I have reviewed the works of other authors, who accept that the economic success of the book is rising if the author is a winner of the literary prize or contest. I have found out that the book prize activates the demand for the book, and the literary contest is a tool to track the reader’s reaction to a future publication. In this way, literary prizes and contests can be considered as a way of conducting a marketing dialogue with the target audience. I have focused on the information support of literary national and international prizes and contests by the media, which attracts attention to the book and forms the reader’s interest. The literary prizes and contests are also considered as a way of exploring trends and their changes, familiarization the popular genres among the target audience and fixation the current choice of modern readers. Literary prizes and contests motivate the authors to improve their literary excellence, are the source of new authors and works, and assist in increasing sales of books. However, further research is recommended.</em></p><strong><em>Key words:</em></strong><em> book prize, book rating, literary contest, literary prize, functions of the literary prizes.</em>

Practical Guide to Determine the Impact of Radon and Other Radionuclides on Water Treatment Processes

1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 1255-1264
Author(s):  
K. L. Martins
Keyword(s):  
Activated Carbon ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Packed Tower ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Radioactivity Exposure ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Percent Removal

During treatment of groundwater, radon is often coincidentally removed by processes typically used to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-for example, processes such as liquid-phase granular activated carbon (LGAC) adsorption and air stripping with vapor-phase carbon (VGAC). The removal of radon from drinking water is a positive benefit for the water user; however, the accumulation of radon on activated carbon may cause radiologic hazards for the water treatment plant operators and the spent carbon may be considered a low-level radioactive waste. To date, most literature on radon removal by water treatment processes was based on bench- or residential-scale systems. This paper addresses the impact of radon on municipal and industrial-scale applications. Available data have been used todevelop graphical methods of estimating the radioactivity exposure rates to facility operators and determine the fate of spent carbon. This paper will allow the reader to determine the potential for impact of radon on the system design and operation as follows.Estimate the percent removal of radon from water by LGAC adsorbers and packed tower air strippers. Also, a method to estimate the percent removal of radon by VGAC used for air stripper off-gas will be provided.Estimate if your local radon levels are such that the safety guidelines, suggested by USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), of 25 mR/yr (0.1 mR/day) for radioactivity exposure may or may not be exceeded.Estimate the disposal requirements of the waste carbon for LGAC systems and VGAC for air stripper “Off-Gas” systems. Options for dealing with high radon levels are presented.

Here there Be Tygers: Profit, Non-profit, and Loss in the Age of Disintermediation

1997 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Scholarly Publishing ◽  
The Political ◽  
Quality Information ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
High Quality Information ◽  
Europe De L’Est ◽  
The Impact

Abstract: Scholarly publishing and access to high-quality information may in fact be threatened, rather than improved, by the revolution in communications, particularly in a fully commercial Internet. The effects of the political revolution in Eastern Europe on scholarship and quality publishing are used as a touchstone of the dangers that occur when naïve revolutionaries make swift changes without fully recognizing the impact upon delicately balanced social institutions such as non-profit organizations. Résumé: La révolution en communications, particulièrement en ce qui regarde un Internet commercialisé, plutôt que d'améliorer l'édition savante et l'accès à de l'information de haute qualité, pourrait en fait poser une menace pour ceux-ci. Cet article examine comment la révolution politique en Europe de l'Est a influé sur la recherche et l'édition de qualité. Il utilise cet exemple pour examiner les dangers que peuvent courir certains révolutionnaires naïfs quand ils instaurent des changements rapides san songer à leur impact sur des institutions sociales à équilibre délicat comme les organisations à but non lucratif.

Belgium: Creeping Vulnerability of Children

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Vinck ◽  
Wim Van Lancker
Keyword(s):  
Social Protection ◽  
Child Poverty ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Important Lesson ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Poverty Risk ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Families With Children ◽  
The Impact

Belgium has been plagued by comparatively high levels of child poverty, and by a creeping, yet significant, increase that started in the good years before the crisis. This is related to the relatively high share of jobless households, the extremely high and increasing poverty risk of children growing up in these households, and benefits that are inadequate to shield jobless families with children from poverty. Although the impact of the Great Recession was limited in Belgium, the crisis seems to have had an impact on child poverty, by increasing the number of children living in work-poor households. Although the Belgian welfare state had an important cushioning impact, its poverty-reducing capacity was less strong than it used to be. The most important lesson from the crisis is that in order to make further headway in reducing child poverty, not only activation but also social protection should be improved.

scholarly journals The impact of integrating environmental health into medical school curricula: a survey-based study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Kligler ◽  
Genevieve Pinto Zipp ◽  
Carmela Rocchetti ◽  
Michelle Secic ◽  
Erin Speiser Ihde
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Learning Objectives ◽  
Lead Contamination ◽  
Institute Of Medicine ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Inclusion of environmental health (EH) in medical education serves as a catalyst for preparing future physicians to address issues as complex as climate change and health, water pollution and lead contamination. However, previous research has found EH education to be largely lacking in U.S. medical education, putting future physicians at risk of not having the expertise to address patients’ environmental illnesses, nor speak to prevention. Methods Environmental health (EH) knowledge and skills were incorporated into the first-year medical school curriculum at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (Nutley, New Jersey), via a two-hour interactive large group learning module with follow up activities. Students completed the Environmental Health in Med School (EHMS) survey before and after the year 1 EH module. This survey evaluates medical students’ attitudes, awareness and professionalism regarding environmental health. In year 2, students completed the Environmental Health Survey II, which measured students’ perceptions of preparedness to discuss EH with future patients. The research team created both surveys based upon learning objectives that broadly aligned with the Institute of Medicine six competency-based environmental health learning objectives. Results 36 year 1 students completed both the pre and post EHMS surveys. McNemar’s test was used for paired comparisons. Results identified no statistically significant changes from pre to post surveys, identifying a dramatic ceiling. When comparing year 2, EHS II pre-survey (n = 84) and post-survey (n = 79) responses, a statistically significant positive change in students’ self-reported sense of preparedness to discuss environmental health with their patients following the curriculum intervention was noted. Conclusions Our conclusion for the EHMS in Year 1 was that the current generation of medical students at this school is already extremely aware of and concerned about the impact of environmental issues on health. Through the EHS II in Year 2, we found that the six-week environmental health module combining didactic and experiential elements significantly increased medical students’ self-reported sense of preparedness to discuss environmental health issues, including climate change, with their patients.

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