Spatiotemporal dynamic transformations of soil lead and children's blood lead ten years after Hurricane Katrina: New grounds for primary prevention. (September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mielke, Howard W.; Gonzales, Christopher R.; Powell, Eric T.; Mielke, Paul W.
• Is Part Of: Environment international. Volume 94(2016:Sep.)
• Page Start: 567
• Page End: 575
• Publication Date: 2016-09
• Subjects: City scale mapping Cochrane Collaboration Lead exposure -- Primary lead prevention Soil lead intervention; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental Monitoring -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Protection -- Périodiques; Hygiène du milieu -- Périodiques; Environnement -- Surveillance -- Périodiques; Environmental health; Environmental monitoring; Environmental protection; Periodicals; 333.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.06.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-4120

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The contribution of lead contaminated soil to blood lead, especially as it is a large reservoir of lead dust, has been underestimated relative to lead-based paint. On 29 August 2005 Hurricane Katrina flooded and disrupted habitation in New Orleans. Soil and blood lead were mapped prior to Katrina. This unique study addresses soil and blood lead conditions pre- and ten years post-Katrina and considers the effectiveness of low lead soil for lead exposure intervention. Objectives: Comparison of soil and blood lead levels pre- and ten years post-Katrina to evaluate and assess the impact of flooding on soil and blood lead at the scale of the city of New Orleans. Methods: Post-Katrina soil and blood lead data were stratified by the same census tracts (n = 176) as pre-Katrina data. This unique city scale data-set includes soil lead (n = 3314 and 3320, pre- vs. post-Katrina), blood lead (n = 39, 620 and 17, 739, pre- vs. post-Katrina), distance, and changes in percent pre-1940 housing. Statistical analysis entailed permutation procedures and Fisher's Exact Tests. Results: Pre- vs. ten years post-Katrina soil lead median decreased from 280 mg/kg to 132 mg/kg, median blood lead decreased from 5 μg/dL to 1.8 μg/dL, respectively. Percent pre-1940 housing did not change significantly (P-value = 0.674). Soil and blood lead decrease with distance from the center of New Orleans. Except for age-of-housing results, P-values were extremely small (< 10 − 12 ). Conclusions: Ten years after Katrina, profound changes in soil lead and children's blood lead occurred in New Orleans. Decreasing the lead on soil surfaces reduces children's interaction with lead dust, thus underscoring soil as a major of source of exposure. Graphical abstract: Highlights: An effective intervention for reducing children's lead (Pb) exposure is unavailable. Hurricane Katrina flooded 80% of New Orleans and all citizens were evacuated. This city scale study of 176 community soil & blood Pb before vs. after Katrina is unique. Before & after blood Pb, soil Pb, age of housing, and distance decay were evaluated. Soil Pb intervention complements primary prevention of children's blood Pb.