The present study was designed to assess lead levels in playground soil and accumulated dust on playground equipment and then correlate those environmental lead measurements with children’s blood lead in the surround...The present study was designed to assess lead levels in playground soil and accumulated dust on playground equipment and then correlate those environmental lead measurements with children’s blood lead in the surrounding neighborhoods. Soil lead and surface dust were collected from 14 playgrounds in Muncie, Indiana, and blood lead levels were calculated for nearby children. Correlation analyses revealed a moderate positive association between dust Pb and soil Pb with a correlation coefficient r = 0.46 (p = 0.099). The relationship between settled dust on playground equipment and composite blood lead level also showed a medium positive correlation, indicated by r = 0.36 (p = 0.202). A positive correlation was also observed between soil Pb and composite blood lead values, as evidenced by r = 0.51 (p = 0.061). Furthermore, the assessment of spatial autocorrelation using Moran’s I index indicated no significant spatial clustering for the variables studied (dust Pb, soil Pb, and blood Pb). Correlation analysis showed a connection between lead levels in soil and dust, but no significant links were found between soil lead and blood lead and between dust lead and blood lead. These results suggest that environmental lead in parks has a limited impact on children’s blood lead levels nearby. Spatial autocorrelation analysis also revealed no significant spatial patterns among variables—dust, soil, and blood lead. Given these findings, it is recommended to seek expertise from qualified professionals and further perform comprehensive testing and analysis to investigate potential lead sources in children’s blood. The outcomes of this study offer valuable insights into assessing playground environmental lead contamination, contributing to future research priorities in this area. Specifically, future studies could focus on collecting larger sample sizes and characterizing blood lead in children who frequently use playgrounds rather than those who live nearby but may or may not use the playgrounds.展开更多
Due to historical and ongoing industrial practices, lead contamination in urban soils presents substantial health risks, primarily due to its capacity to readily migrate from the soil to humans. This research focused ...Due to historical and ongoing industrial practices, lead contamination in urban soils presents substantial health risks, primarily due to its capacity to readily migrate from the soil to humans. This research focused on the influence of soil pH, organic matter, and clay content on extractable lead amounts. Sixty-four soil samples from Muncie, Indiana, were analyzed, revealing that the examined factors accounted for 21.71% of the Pb mg/Kg-dry variable variance (p −0.4, p < 0.001), with XRD and FTIR analyses confirming the binding affinity of clay minerals with lead. In contrast, no significant relationships were found between Pb concentrations and soil pH (r = 0.07;p = 0.59) or organic matter content (r = 0.12;p = 0.34). Elucidating the interactions between lead, clay minerals, and other soil constituents is crucial for addressing lead-contaminated soils and reducing environmental and health impacts.展开更多
In 2014 we began the first systematic study of water quality, specifically fecal contamination of drinking water in the Khumbu Valley, Sagarmatha National Park (SNP, Mt. Everest region), Nepal. Our goal was to identif...In 2014 we began the first systematic study of water quality, specifically fecal contamination of drinking water in the Khumbu Valley, Sagarmatha National Park (SNP, Mt. Everest region), Nepal. Our goal was to identify coliform bacteria and E. coli in drinking water and groundwater-fed springs to generate a data set that will function as a base for potable water supplies and further monitoring. Sampling occurred in May (pre-monsoon summer) and early November (post-monsoon early winter) 2014. Sample sites were selected based on proximity to villages and primary use as a drinking water source. Overall, the data presented a predictable correlation between fecal contamination and both elevation and increasing population/tourist traffic. Drinking water within the study area met current World Health Organization drinking water standards for the physical properties of temperature (2.8°C - 13°C), pH (5.27 - 7.24), conductivity (14.5 - 133 mS) and TDS (7.24 - 65.5 ppm). Samples from the more populated, lower altitude areas had higher levels of E. coli. Samples collected and analyzed in May (pre-monsoon summer) had a higher level of E. coli and coliform bacteria than samples collected in November (post-monsoon early winter) suggesting a seasonal dependence overlaid on the population signature. Surface water typically had higher E. coli values than groundwater-fed springs. Temperature, total dissolved solids and conductivity generally decreased with increasing elevation, whereas pH increased with increasing elevation. There appears to be significant presence of fecal contamination of water sources due to a combination of tourism, elevation and seasons.展开更多
文摘The present study was designed to assess lead levels in playground soil and accumulated dust on playground equipment and then correlate those environmental lead measurements with children’s blood lead in the surrounding neighborhoods. Soil lead and surface dust were collected from 14 playgrounds in Muncie, Indiana, and blood lead levels were calculated for nearby children. Correlation analyses revealed a moderate positive association between dust Pb and soil Pb with a correlation coefficient r = 0.46 (p = 0.099). The relationship between settled dust on playground equipment and composite blood lead level also showed a medium positive correlation, indicated by r = 0.36 (p = 0.202). A positive correlation was also observed between soil Pb and composite blood lead values, as evidenced by r = 0.51 (p = 0.061). Furthermore, the assessment of spatial autocorrelation using Moran’s I index indicated no significant spatial clustering for the variables studied (dust Pb, soil Pb, and blood Pb). Correlation analysis showed a connection between lead levels in soil and dust, but no significant links were found between soil lead and blood lead and between dust lead and blood lead. These results suggest that environmental lead in parks has a limited impact on children’s blood lead levels nearby. Spatial autocorrelation analysis also revealed no significant spatial patterns among variables—dust, soil, and blood lead. Given these findings, it is recommended to seek expertise from qualified professionals and further perform comprehensive testing and analysis to investigate potential lead sources in children’s blood. The outcomes of this study offer valuable insights into assessing playground environmental lead contamination, contributing to future research priorities in this area. Specifically, future studies could focus on collecting larger sample sizes and characterizing blood lead in children who frequently use playgrounds rather than those who live nearby but may or may not use the playgrounds.
文摘Due to historical and ongoing industrial practices, lead contamination in urban soils presents substantial health risks, primarily due to its capacity to readily migrate from the soil to humans. This research focused on the influence of soil pH, organic matter, and clay content on extractable lead amounts. Sixty-four soil samples from Muncie, Indiana, were analyzed, revealing that the examined factors accounted for 21.71% of the Pb mg/Kg-dry variable variance (p −0.4, p < 0.001), with XRD and FTIR analyses confirming the binding affinity of clay minerals with lead. In contrast, no significant relationships were found between Pb concentrations and soil pH (r = 0.07;p = 0.59) or organic matter content (r = 0.12;p = 0.34). Elucidating the interactions between lead, clay minerals, and other soil constituents is crucial for addressing lead-contaminated soils and reducing environmental and health impacts.
文摘In 2014 we began the first systematic study of water quality, specifically fecal contamination of drinking water in the Khumbu Valley, Sagarmatha National Park (SNP, Mt. Everest region), Nepal. Our goal was to identify coliform bacteria and E. coli in drinking water and groundwater-fed springs to generate a data set that will function as a base for potable water supplies and further monitoring. Sampling occurred in May (pre-monsoon summer) and early November (post-monsoon early winter) 2014. Sample sites were selected based on proximity to villages and primary use as a drinking water source. Overall, the data presented a predictable correlation between fecal contamination and both elevation and increasing population/tourist traffic. Drinking water within the study area met current World Health Organization drinking water standards for the physical properties of temperature (2.8°C - 13°C), pH (5.27 - 7.24), conductivity (14.5 - 133 mS) and TDS (7.24 - 65.5 ppm). Samples from the more populated, lower altitude areas had higher levels of E. coli. Samples collected and analyzed in May (pre-monsoon summer) had a higher level of E. coli and coliform bacteria than samples collected in November (post-monsoon early winter) suggesting a seasonal dependence overlaid on the population signature. Surface water typically had higher E. coli values than groundwater-fed springs. Temperature, total dissolved solids and conductivity generally decreased with increasing elevation, whereas pH increased with increasing elevation. There appears to be significant presence of fecal contamination of water sources due to a combination of tourism, elevation and seasons.
