PAUSE Webinar – April 29th
| Speaker: | Dr. Jennifer Richmond-Bryant |
| North Carolina State University | |
| Title: | A Community-Integrated Geographic Information System Study of Air Pollution Exposure Impacts in Colfax, LA |
| Abstract: | A community-integrated geographic information systems (CIGIS) study assimilating qualitative and quantitative information about human exposures and health was conducted in Colfax, Louisiana, which hosts a commercial open burn/open detonation thermal treatment (TT) facility that destroys waste from Superfund sites, explosives, military ordnances, and propellants. Sixty-six percent of residents identified as Black, and median annual income was approximately $17,00, with 39% of the population living below the poverty line. We first conducted oral history interviews of twenty-nine residents and mined public records to document the community’s experiences. Interviews focused on themes of Colfax’s history, changing community fabric, resident health, and air pollution. The oral histories and public comments by community members provided information about lived experiences, including several health conditions, toleration of noise and vibration, property damage, and resulting changes to activity levels. These statements provided insight into the extent of suffering experienced by the local community. From this information, we worked with the community to design a study of particulate matter (PM) concentration and composition. Based on community member interviews and review of public comments submitted to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, sampling sites and targets for chemical analysis were identified. PM smaller than 2.5 m (PM 2.5 ) samples were collected by two high-volume air samplers as active samples. At ten sites varying in distance from the facility, two types of passive samplers collected fine and total PM. Additionally, low-cost sensors were used at all ten sites to measure time-varying PM at several size cuts. Our results uncovered elevated PM 2.5 concentrations at both 1.2 mi and 9 mi sites in spring and summer with similar patterns between the two high-volume sites. The bias-corrected low-cost PM 2.5 sensor readings from our sampling campaign, which occurred from April, 2022 to March, 2023, showed that 32.8% of readings were above the level corresponding to “good” within the U.S. EPA’s Air Quality Index for 24-hour PM 2.5 . Approximately 1,100 readings corresponded to levels where EPA recommends avoiding extended or any time outdoors, and an additional 2,400 readings indicated that sensitive individuals (those with health problems, young children, and older adults) should avoid extended time outdoors. Higher levels of soot-type environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) were observed in active samples during fall and winter, which are the times when PM 2.5 concentrations were lower. Overall dioxin and furan concentrations appeared low from six collections throughout the year, but higher levels were observed during colder seasons. Metals such as aluminum, barium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, nickel, lead, and zinc were detected in fine particles from both active and passive samples, and cobalt was also detected in coarse particles from passive samplers. Through this study, we have aimed to provide the community with information about their exposures and to promote community empowerment and engagement to reduce their exposure risks. |
| Recording: | https://youtu.be/VSWxN-AnW9g |
To register for the webinar series please visit https://forms.gle/hGW2Sjyn3gXbWWDPA
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