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Slawsky ED, Weaver AM, Luben TJ, Rappazzo KM. Lead brownfields and birth defects in North Carolina 2003-2015: A cross-sectional case-control study. Birth Defects Res 2024; 116:e2367. [PMID: 39136602 PMCID: PMC11328954 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brownfields consist of abandoned and disused sites, spanning many former purposes. Brownfields represent a heterogenous yet ubiquitous exposure for many Americans, which may contain hazardous wastes and represent urban blight. Neonates and pregnant individuals are often sensitive to subtle environmental exposures. We evaluate if residential exposure to lead (Pb) brownfields is associated with birth defects. METHODS Using North Carolina birth records from 2003 to 2015, we sampled 169,499 births within 10 km of a Pb brownfield with 3255 cardiovascular, central nervous, or external defects identified. Exposure was classified by binary specification of residing within 3 km of a Pb brownfield. We utilized multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for demographic covariates available from birth records and 2010 Census to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Effect measure modification was assessed by inclusion of interaction terms and stratification for the potential modifiers of race/ethnicity and diabetes status. RESULTS We observed positive associations between cardiovascular birth defects and residential proximity to Pb brownfields, OR (95%CI): 1.15 (1.04, 1.26), with suggestive positive associations for central nervous 1.16 (0.91, 1.47) and external defects 1.19 (0.88, 1.59). We did observe evidence of effect measure modification via likelihood ratio tests (LRT) for race/ethnicity for central nervous and external defect groups (LRT p values 0.08 and 0.02). We did observe modification by diabetes status for the cardiovascular group (LRT p value 0.08). CONCLUSIONS Our results from this analysis indicate that residential proximity to Pb brownfields is associated with cardiovascular birth defects with suggestive associations for central nervous and external defects. In-depth analyses of individual defects and other contaminants or brownfield site functions may reveal additional novel associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik D Slawsky
- UNC Gillings School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities at the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Anne M Weaver
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Thomas J Luben
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kristen M Rappazzo
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Petculescu I, Hynds P, Brown RS, Boudou M, McDermott K, Majury A. Development of a "big data" groundwater microbial contamination index and spatial comparisons with enteric infection rates in southern Ontario. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 947:174408. [PMID: 38972407 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Big data have become increasingly important for policymakers and scientists but have yet to be employed for the development of spatially specific groundwater contamination indices or protecting human and environmental health. The current study sought to develop a series of indices via analyses of three variables: Non-E. coli coliform (NEC) concentration, E. coli concentration, and the calculated NEC:E. coli concentration ratio. A large microbial water quality dataset comprising 1,104,094 samples collected from 292,638 Ontarian wells between 2010 and 2021 was used. Getis-Ord Gi* (Gi*), Local Moran's I (LMI), and space-time scanning were employed for index development based on identified cluster recurrence. Gi* and LMI identify hot and cold spots, i.e., spatially proximal subregions with similarly high or low contamination magnitudes. Indices were statistically compared with mapped well density and age-adjusted enteric infection rates (i.e., campylobacteriosis, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) enteritis) at a subregional (N = 298) resolution for evaluation and final index selection. Findings suggest that index development via Gi* represented the most efficacious approach. Developed Gi* indices exhibited no correlation with well density, implying that indices are not biased by rural population density. Gi* indices exhibited positive correlations with mapped infection rates, and were particularly associated with higher bacterial (Campylobacter, VTEC) infection rates among younger sub-populations (p < 0.05). Conversely, no association was found between developed indices and giardiasis rates, an infection not typically associated with private groundwater contamination. Findings suggest that a notable proportion of bacterial infections are associated with groundwater and that the developed Gi* index represents an appropriate spatiotemporal reflection of long-term groundwater quality. Bacterial infection correlations with the NEC:E. coli ratio index (p < 0.001) were markedly different compared to correlations with the E. coli index, implying that the ratio may supplement E. coli monitoring as a groundwater assessment metric capable of elucidating contamination mechanisms. This study may serve as a methodological blueprint for the development of big data-based groundwater contamination indices across the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioan Petculescu
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, 99 University Ave, Kingston, ON, Canada.
| | - Paul Hynds
- Technological University Dublin, Park House, 191 N Circular Rd, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - R Stephen Brown
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, 99 University Ave, Kingston, ON, Canada.
| | - Martin Boudou
- Technological University Dublin, Park House, 191 N Circular Rd, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Anna Majury
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, 99 University Ave, Kingston, ON, Canada; Public Health Ontario, 181 Barrie St, Kingston, ON, Canada.
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Winker R, Payton A, Brown E, McDermott E, Freedman JH, Lenhardt C, Eaves LA, Fry RC, Rager JE. Wildfires and climate justice: future wildfire events predicted to disproportionally impact socioeconomically vulnerable communities in North Carolina. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1339700. [PMID: 38741908 PMCID: PMC11089107 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1339700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Wildfire events are becoming increasingly common across many areas of the United States, including North Carolina (NC). Wildfires can cause immediate damage to properties, and wildfire smoke conditions can harm the overall health of exposed communities. It is critical to identify communities at increased risk of wildfire events, particularly in areas with that have sociodemographic disparities and low socioeconomic status (SES) that may exacerbate incurred impacts of wildfire events. This study set out to: (1) characterize the distribution of wildfire risk across NC; (2) implement integrative cluster analyses to identify regions that contain communities with increased vulnerability to the impacts of wildfire events due to sociodemographic characteristics; (3) provide summary-level statistics of populations with highest wildfire risk, highlighting SES and housing cost factors; and (4) disseminate wildfire risk information via our online web application, ENVIROSCAN. Wildfire hazard potential (WHP) indices were organized at the census tract-level, and distributions were analyzed for spatial autocorrelation via global and local Moran's tests. Sociodemographic characteristics were analyzed via k-means analysis to identify clusters with distinct SES patterns to characterize regions of similar sociodemographic/socioeconomic disparities. These SES groupings were overlayed with housing and wildfire risk profiles to establish patterns of risk across NC. Resulting geospatial analyses identified areas largely in Southeastern NC with high risk of wildfires that were significantly correlated with neighboring regions with high WHP, highlighting adjacent regions of high risk for future wildfire events. Cluster-based analysis of SES factors resulted in three groups of regions categorized through distinct SES profiling; two of these clusters (Clusters 2 and 3) contained indicators of high SES vulnerability. Cluster 2 contained a higher percentage of younger (<5 years), non-white, Hispanic and/or Latino residents; while Cluster 3 had the highest mean WHP and was characterized by a higher percentage of non-white residents, poverty, and less than a high school education. Counties of particular SES and WHP-combined vulnerability include those with majority non-white residents, tribal communities, and below poverty level households largely located in Southeastern NC. WHP values per census tract were dispersed to the public via the ENVIROSCAN application, alongside other environmentally-relevant data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Winker
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Alexis Payton
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Eric Brown
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Elena McDermott
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jonathan H. Freedman
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Chris Lenhardt
- Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Lauren A. Eaves
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Julia E. Rager
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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4
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Bousquet AG, Eaves LA, Haley K, Catalano D, Williams GB, Hartwell HJ, Brennan C, Fry RC. Identifying and Responding to Lead in Drinking Water in a University Setting. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:561. [PMID: 38791777 PMCID: PMC11120698 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21050561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Lead is an established neurotoxicant, and it has known associations with adverse neurodevelopmental and reproductive outcomes. Exposure to lead at any level is unsafe, and the United States (US) has enacted various federal and state legislations to regulate lead levels in drinking water in K-12 schools and childcare facilities; however, no regulations exist for higher education settings. Upon the discovery of lead in drinking water fixtures in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) campus, a cross-campus water testing network and sampling plan was developed and deployed. The campaign was based on the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 3Ts (Training, Testing, and Taking Action) guidance. The seven-month campaign involved 5954 tests on 3825 drinking water fixtures across 265 buildings. A total of 502 (8.43%) tests showed lead above the limit of detection (1 part per billion, ppb), which represented 422 (11.03%) fixtures. Fewer than 1.5% of the tests were above the EPA action level for public water systems (15 ppb). In conclusion, systematic testing of all the fixtures across campus was required to identify localized contamination, and each entity in the cross-campus network undertook necessary roles to generate a successful testing campaign. UNC-CH established preventative measures to test drinking water fixtures every three years, which provide a framework for other higher education institutions in responding to lead contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey G. Bousquet
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.G.B.); (L.A.E.); (H.J.H.)
| | - Lauren A. Eaves
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.G.B.); (L.A.E.); (H.J.H.)
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kim Haley
- Department of Environment, Health and Safety, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (K.H.); (D.C.); (G.B.W.); (C.B.)
| | - David Catalano
- Department of Environment, Health and Safety, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (K.H.); (D.C.); (G.B.W.); (C.B.)
| | - Gregory B. Williams
- Department of Environment, Health and Safety, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (K.H.); (D.C.); (G.B.W.); (C.B.)
| | - Hadley J. Hartwell
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.G.B.); (L.A.E.); (H.J.H.)
| | - Catherine Brennan
- Department of Environment, Health and Safety, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (K.H.); (D.C.); (G.B.W.); (C.B.)
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.G.B.); (L.A.E.); (H.J.H.)
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Eaves LA, Keil AP, Jukic AM, Dhingra R, Brooks JL, Manuck TA, Rager JE, Fry RC. Toxic metal mixtures in private well water and increased risk for preterm birth in North Carolina. Environ Health 2023; 22:69. [PMID: 37845729 PMCID: PMC10577978 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-01021-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to metals in private well water may increase the risk of preterm birth (PTB) (delivery < 37 weeks' gestation). In this study, we estimated associations between arsenic, manganese, lead, cadmium, chromium, copper, and zinc concentrations in private well water and PTB incidence in North Carolina (NC). METHODS Birth certificates from 2003-2015 (n = 1,329,071) were obtained and pregnancies were assigned exposure using the mean concentration and the percentage of tests above the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for the census tract of each individuals' residence at the time of delivery using the NCWELL database (117,960 well water tests from 1998-2019). We evaluated associations between single metals and PTB using adjusted logistic regression models. Metals mixtures were assessed using quantile-based g-computation. RESULTS Compared with those in other census tracts, individuals residing in tracts where > 25% of tests exceeded the MCL for lead (aOR 1.10, 95%CI 1.02,1.18) or cadmium (aOR 1.11, 95% CI 1.00,1.23) had an increased odds of PTB. Conversely, those residing in areas with > 25% MCL for zinc (aOR 0.77 (95% CI: 0.56,1.02) and copper (aOR 0.53 (95% CI: 0.13,1.34)) had a reduced odds of PTB. A quartile increase in the concentrations of a mixture of lead, cadmium, and chromium was associated with a small increased odds for PTB (aOR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01, 1.03). This metal mixture effect was most pronounced among American Indian individuals (aOR per quartile increase in all metals: 1.19 (95% CI 1.06,1.34)). CONCLUSIONS In a large study population of over one million births, lead and cadmium were found to increase the risk of PTB individually and in a mixture, with additional mixtures-related impacts estimated from co-exposure with chromium. This study highlights critical racial and ethnic health disparities in relation to private well water thereby emphasizing the urgent need for improved private well water quality to protect vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Eaves
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 166A Rosenau Hall, CB #7431, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alexander P Keil
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Anne Marie Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Radhika Dhingra
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 166A Rosenau Hall, CB #7431, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Jada L Brooks
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tracy A Manuck
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Julia E Rager
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 166A Rosenau Hall, CB #7431, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 166A Rosenau Hall, CB #7431, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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6
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Freedman AN, Roell K, Engwall E, Bulka C, Kuban KCK, Herring L, Mills CA, Parsons PJ, Galusha A, O’Shea TM, Fry RC. Prenatal Metal Exposure Alters the Placental Proteome in a Sex-Dependent Manner in Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns: Links to Gestational Age. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14977. [PMID: 37834424 PMCID: PMC10573797 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to toxic metals is associated with altered placental function and adverse infant and child health outcomes. Adverse outcomes include those that are observed at the time of birth, such as low birthweight, as well as those that arise later in life, such as neurological impairment. It is often the case that these adverse outcomes show sex-specific responses in relation to toxicant exposures. While the precise molecular mechanisms linking in utero toxic metal exposures with later-in-life health are unknown, placental inflammation is posited to play a critical role. Here, we sought to understand whether in utero metal exposure is associated with alterations in the expression of the placental proteome by identifying metal associated proteins (MAPs). Within the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns (ELGAN) cohort (n = 230), placental and umbilical cord tissue samples were collected at birth. Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and manganese (Mn) concentrations were measured in umbilical cord tissue samples via ICP-MS/MS. Protein expression was examined in placental samples using an LC-MS/MS-based, global, untargeted proteomics analysis measuring more than 3400 proteins. MAPs were then evaluated for associations with pregnancy and neonatal outcomes, including placental weight and gestational age. We hypothesized that metal levels would be positively associated with the altered expression of inflammation/immune-associated pathways and that sex-specific patterns of metal-associated placental protein expression would be observed. Sex-specific analyses identified 89 unique MAPs expressed in female placentas and 41 unique MAPs expressed in male placentas. Notably, many of the female-associated MAPs are known to be involved in immune-related processes, while the male-associated MAPs are associated with intracellular transport and cell localization. Further, several MAPs were significantly associated with gestational age in males and females and placental weight in males. These data highlight the linkage between prenatal metal exposure and an altered placental proteome, with implications for altering the trajectory of fetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia N. Freedman
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.N.F.); (E.E.)
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
| | - Kyle Roell
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
| | - Eiona Engwall
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.N.F.); (E.E.)
| | - Catherine Bulka
- College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
| | - Karl C. K. Kuban
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child Neurology, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Laura Herring
- UNC Proteomics Core Facility, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (L.H.); (C.A.M.)
| | - Christina A. Mills
- UNC Proteomics Core Facility, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (L.H.); (C.A.M.)
| | - Patrick J. Parsons
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, USA; (P.J.P.); (A.G.)
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Albany, Rensselaer, NY 12222, USA
| | - Aubrey Galusha
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, USA; (P.J.P.); (A.G.)
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Albany, Rensselaer, NY 12222, USA
| | - Thomas Michael O’Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.N.F.); (E.E.)
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Eaves LA, Fry RC. Invited Perspective: Toxic Metals and Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:41303. [PMID: 37079391 PMCID: PMC10117635 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A. Eaves
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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Warren-Vega WM, Campos-Rodríguez A, Zárate-Guzmán AI, Romero-Cano LA. A Current Review of Water Pollutants in American Continent: Trends and Perspectives in Detection, Health Risks, and Treatment Technologies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4499. [PMID: 36901509 PMCID: PMC10001968 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Currently, water pollution represents a serious environmental threat, causing an impact not only to fauna and flora but also to human health. Among these pollutants, inorganic and organic pollutants are predominantly important representing high toxicity and persistence and being difficult to treat using current methodologies. For this reason, several research groups are searching for strategies to detect and remedy contaminated water bodies and effluents. Due to the above, a current review of the state of the situation has been carried out. The results obtained show that in the American continent a high diversity of contaminants is present in the water bodies affecting several aspects, in which in some cases, there exists alternatives to realize the remediation of contaminated water. It is concluded that the actual challenge is to establish sanitation measures at the local level based on the specific needs of the geographical area of interest. Therefore, water treatment plants must be designed according to the contaminants present in the water of the region and tailored to the needs of the population of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ana I. Zárate-Guzmán
- Grupo de Investigación en Materiales y Fenómenos de Superficie, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Av. Patria 1201, Zapopan C.P. 45129, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Luis A. Romero-Cano
- Grupo de Investigación en Materiales y Fenómenos de Superficie, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Av. Patria 1201, Zapopan C.P. 45129, Jalisco, Mexico
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9
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Eaves LA, Lanier P, Enggasser AE, Chung G, Turla T, Rager JE, Fry RC. Generation of the Chemical and Social Stressors Integration Technique (CASS-IT) to identify areas of holistic public health concern: An application to North Carolina. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 862:160409. [PMID: 36436630 PMCID: PMC10695022 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Due to structural racism and income inequality, exposure to environmental chemicals is tightly linked to socioeconomic factors. In addition, exposure to psychosocial stressors, such as racial discrimination, as well as having limited resources, can increase susceptibility to environmentally induced disease. Yet, studies are often conducted separately in fields of social science and environmental science, reducing the potential for holistic risk estimates. To tackle this gap, we developed the Chemical and Social Stressors Integration Technique (CASS-IT) to integrate environmental chemical and social stressor datasets. The CASS-IT provides a framework to identify distinct geographic areas based on combinations of environmental chemical exposure, social vulnerability, and access to resources. It incorporates two data dimension reduction tools: k-means clustering and latent profile analysis. Here, the CASS-IT was applied to North Carolina (NC) as a case study. Environmental chemical data included toxic metals - arsenic, manganese, and lead - in private drinking well water. Social stressor data were captured by the CDC's social vulnerability index's four domains: socioeconomic status, household composition and disability, minority status and language, and housing type and transportation. Data on resources were derived from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA's) Resilience and Analysis Planning Tool, which generated measures of health resources, social resources, and information resources. The results highlighted 31 NC counties where exposure to both toxic metals and social stressors are elevated, and health resources are minimal; these are counties in which environmental justice is of utmost concern. A census-tract level analysis was also conducted to demonstrate the utility of CASS-IT at different geographical scales. The tract-level analysis highlighted specific tracts within counties of concern that are particularly high priority. In future research, the CASS-IT can be used to analyze United States-wide environmental datasets providing guidance for targeted public health interventions and reducing environmental disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Eaves
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Paul Lanier
- School of Social Work, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Adam E Enggasser
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Gerard Chung
- School of Social Work, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Social Service Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Toby Turla
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Julia E Rager
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Samavati Z, Samavati A, Goh PS, Ismail AF, Abdullah MS. A comprehensive review of recent advances in nanofiltration membranes for heavy metal removal from wastewater. Chem Eng Res Des 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2022.11.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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11
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Developing Toxic Metal Environmental Justice Indices (TM-EJIs) for Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Manganese Contamination in Private Drinking Wells in North Carolina. WATER 2022; 14. [DOI: 10.3390/w14132088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Toxic metal exposure via private drinking wells is an environmental health challenge in North Carolina (NC). Policies tainted by environmental racism shape who has access to public water supplies, with Black People, Indigenous People, and People of Color (BIPOC) often excluded from municipal services. Thus, toxic metal exposure via private wells is an environmental justice (EJ) issue, and it is under-studied in NC. In this study, we developed four Toxic Metal Environmental Justice Indices (TM-EJIs) for inorganic arsenic (iAs), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and manganese (Mn) to quantitatively identify areas of environmental injustice in NC. TM-EJIs were calculated at the census tract level (n = 2038) as the product of the following: (1) number of well water tests with concentrations exceeding national standards, (2) percentage of the low-income and minority population, and (3) population density. Mn had the greatest proportion (25.17%) of positive TM-EJIs, which are indicative of socioeconomically disadvantaged groups exposed to toxic metals. Positive TM-EJIs, particularly for Pb and Mn, were primarily located in eastern NC. These results highlight several new counties of concern and can be used by public health professionals and state environmental agencies to prioritize remediation efforts and efforts to reduce environmental injustices.
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