Eric T. Powell

New Orleans before and after Hurricanes Katrina/Rita: A Quasi-Experiment of the Association between Soil Lead and Children’s Blood Lead

Prior to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (HKR), significant associations were noted between soil lead (SL) and blood lead (BL) in New Orleans. Engineering failure of New Orleans levees and canal walls after HKR set the stage for a quasi-experiment to evaluate BL responses by 13 306 children to reductions in SL. High density soil surveying conducted in 46 census tracts before HKR was repeated after the flood. Paired t test results show that SL decreased from 328.54 to 203.33 mg/kg post-HKR (t = 3.296, p < or = 0.01). Decreases in SL are associated with declines in childrens BL response (r = 0.308, p < or = 0.05). When SL decreased at least 1%, median childrens BL declined 1.55 microg/dL. Declines in median BL are largest in census tracts with > or =50% decrease in SL. Also individual BL in children was predicted as a function of SL, adjusting for age, year of observation, and depth of flood waters. At the individual scale, BL decreased significantly in post-HKR as a function of SL, with BL decreases ranging from b = -1.20 to -1.65 microg/dL, depending on the decline of SL and whether children were born in the post-HKR period. Our results support policy to improve soil conditions for children.

Soil intervention as a strategy for lead exposure prevention: the New Orleans lead-safe childcare playground project.

The feasibility of reducing childrens exposure to lead (Pb) polluted soil in New Orleans is tested. Childcare centers (median = 48 children) are often located in former residences. The extent of soil Pb was determined by selecting centers in both the core and outlying areas. The initial 558 mg/kg median soil Pb (range 14-3692 mg/kg) decreased to median 4.1 mg/kg (range 2.2-26.1 mg/kg) after intervention with geotextile covered by 15 cm of river alluvium. Pb loading decreased from a median of 4887 μg/m(2) (454 μg/ft(2)) range 603-56650 μg/m(2) (56-5263 μg/ft(2)) to a median of 398 μg/m(2) (37 μg/ft(2)) range 86-980 μg/m(2) (8-91 μg/ft(2)). Multi-Response Permutation Procedures indicate similar (P-values = 0.160-0.231) soil Pb at childcare centers compared to soil Pb of nearby residential communities. At ∼

Sources and Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Urban Soils: Case Studies of Detroit and New Orleans

100 per child, soil Pb and surface loading were reduced within hours, advancing an upstream intervention conceptualization about Pb exposure prevention.

Environmental and health disparities in residential communities of New Orleans: the need for soil lead intervention to advance primary prevention.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous organic pollutants in urban environments. Incomplete combustion of petroleum and coal are the primary sources of elevated concentrations of urban PAHs. The purposes of the study were: 1) to determine and compare the concentration of PAHs in soils taken from two major US cities, New Orleans and Detroit; and 2) to examine the main sources of PAHs in urban soils by diagnostic PAH ratios. A total of 107 New Orleans soil samples were taken from 6 census tracts (n = 13–19 per census tract) and compared with 106 Detroit soil samples from 6 census tracts. Sampling sites included house foundations, open spaces, and soil bordering residential and busy streets. The average total PAH (sum of 17 PAH concentrations) of Detroit soils was 7,843 μ g/kg, compared to 5,100 μ g/kg for New Orleans soils. Several diagnostic PAH concentration ratios were calculated for source determination for Detroit and New Orleans, respectively: phenanthrene/anthracene ratios (2.97 and 5.36), benz(a)anthracene/chrysene ratios (0.99 and 0.85), benzo(b)fluoranthene/benzo(k)fluoranthene ratios (1.51 and 1.53), and benzo(a)pyrene/benzo(e)pyrene ratios (0.98 and 0.92). The ratios indicate that PAH concentrations are attributable to pyrolytic sources, mainly vehicle exhaust. Travel and gasoline consumption data in Detroit and New Orleans support these findings.

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

Urban environments are the major sites for human habitation and this study evaluates soil lead (Pb) and blood Pb at the community scale of a U.S. city. There is no safe level of Pb exposure for humans and novel primary Pb prevention strategies are requisite to mitigate childrens Pb exposure and health disparities observed in major cities. We produced a rich source of environmental and Pb exposure data for metropolitan New Orleans by combining a large soil Pb database (n=5467) with blood Pb databases (n=55,551 pre-Katrina and 7384 post-Katrina) from the Louisiana Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (LACLPPP). Reanalysis of pre- and post-Hurricane Katrina soil samples indicates relatively unchanged soil Pb. The objective was to evaluate the New Orleans soil Pb and blood Pb database for basic information about conditions that may merit innovative ways to pursue primary Pb exposure prevention. The city was divided into high (median census tract soil≥100 mg/kg) and low Pb areas (median census tract soil<100mg/kg). Soil and blood Pb concentrations within the high and low Pb areas of New Orleans were analyzed by permutation statistical methods. The high Pb areas are toward the interior of the city where median soil Pb was 367, 313, 1228, and 103 mg/kg, respectively for samples collected at busy streets, residential streets, house sides, and open space locations; the low Pb areas are in outlying neighborhoods of the city where median soil Pb was 64, 46, 32, and 28 mg/kg, respectively for busy streets, residential streets, house sides, and open spaces (P-values<10(-16)). Pre-Katrina childrens blood Pb prevalence of ≥5 μg/dL was 58.5% and 24.8% for the high and low Pb areas, respectively compared to post-Katrina prevalence of 29.6% and 7.5%, for high and low Pb areas, respectively. Elevated soil Pb permeates interior areas of the city and children living there generally lack Pb safe areas for outdoor play. Soil Pb medians in outlying areas were safer by factors ranging from 3 to 38 depending on specific location. Patterns of Pb deposition from many decades of accumulation have not been transformed by hastily conducted renovations during the seven year interval since Hurricane Katrina. Low Pb soils available outside of cities can remedy soil Pb contamination within city interiors. Mapping soil Pb provides an overview of deposition characteristics and assists with planning and conducting primary Pb exposure prevention.

Evolving from Reactive to Proactive Medicine: Community Lead (Pb) and Clinical Disparities in Pre- and Post-Katrina New Orleans

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 Fishers 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 5μg/dL to 1.8μg/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 childrens blood lead occurred in New Orleans. Decreasing the lead on soil surfaces reduces childrens interaction with lead dust, thus underscoring soil as a major of source of exposure.

Soil Lead and Children’s Blood Lead Disparities in Pre- and Post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans (USA)

In 2012 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) set the blood Pb reference value at ≥5 µg/dL. Clinical analysis of children’s blood Pb levels is the common way to diagnose environmental Pb contamination, and intervention ensues with education and household dust cleanup. Recent review indicates that education and household dust cleanup are not effective at reducing children’s Pb exposure. Here we review mapping environmental Pb and children’s blood Pb response as an alternative approach for proactive Pb dust intervention. New Orleans was divided into a high (≥100 mg/kg) and low (<100 mg/kg) soil Pb communities. The children’s blood Pb prevalence ≥5 µg/dL for the high and low Pb domains were 58.5% and 24.8% respectively pre-Katrina vs. 29.6% and 7.5% post-Katrina. Elevated soil Pb (mg/kg) and consequently Pb loading (µg/square area) permeates the high Pb domain and outdoor locations lack Pb dust safe play areas. The U.S. EPA 400 mg/kg soil Pb standard poses an outside Pb dust loading burden >37 times larger than allowed on interior residential floor environments. Environmental Pb dust is decreasing because of the transfer of large quantities of low Pb soil into selected communities. City-scale soil Pb mapping is an alternative diagnostic tool that provides information for planning proactive medicine to prevent clinical Pb exposure in the first place.

Spatiotemporal exposome dynamics of soil lead and children's blood lead pre- and ten years post-Hurricane Katrina: Lead and other metals on public and private properties in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A.

This study appraises New Orleans soil lead and children’s lead exposure before and ten years after Hurricane Katrina flooded the city. Introduction: Early childhood exposure to lead is associated with lifelong and multiple health, learning, and behavioral disorders. Lead exposure is an important factor hindering the long-term resilience and sustainability of communities. Lead exposure disproportionately affects low socioeconomic status of communities. No safe lead exposure is known and the common intervention is not effective. An essential responsibility of health practitioners is to develop an effective primary intervention. Methods: Pre- and post-Hurricane soil lead and children’s blood lead data were matched by census tract communities. Soil lead and blood lead data were described, mapped, blood lead graphed as a function of soil lead, and Multi-Response Permutation Procedures statistics established disparities. Results: Simultaneous decreases occurred in soil lead accompanied by an especially large decline in children’s blood lead 10 years after Hurricane Katrina. Exposure disparities still exist between children living in the interior and outer areas of the city. Conclusions: At the scale of a city, this study demonstrates that decreasing soil lead effectively reduces children’s blood lead. Primary prevention of lead exposure can be accomplished by reducing soil lead in the urban environment.

Multiple metal contamination from house paints: consequences of power sanding and paint scraping in New Orleans.

Background: Anthropogenic re‐distribution of lead (Pb) principally through its use in gasoline additives and lead‐based paints have transformed the urban exposome. This unique study tracks urban‐scale soil Pb (SPb) and blood Pb (BPb) responses of children living in public and private communities in New Orleans before and ten years after Hurricane Katrina (29 August 2005). Objectives: To compare and evaluate associations of pre‐ and ten years post‐Katrina SPb and childrens BPb on public and private residential census tracts in the core and outer areas of New Orleans, and to examine correlations between SPb and nine other soil metals. Methods: The Louisiana Healthy Housing and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program BPb (&mgr;g/dL) data from pre‐ (2000–2005) and post‐Katrina (2010–2015) for ≤6‐year‐old children. Data from public and adjacent private residential census tracts within core and outer areas are stratified from a database that includes 916 and 922 SPb and 13,379 and 4830 BPb results, respectively, from pre‐ and post‐Katrina New Orleans. Statistical analyses utilize Multi‐Response Permutation Procedure and Spearmans Rho Correlation. Results: Pre‐ to Post‐Katrina median SPb decreases in public and private core census tracts were from 285 to 55 mg/kg and 710–291 mg/kg, respectively. In public and private outer census tracts the median SPb decreased from 109 to 56 mg/kg and 88–55 mg/kg. Childrens BPb percent ≥5 &mgr;g/dL on public and private core areas pre‐Katrina was 63.2% and 67.5%, and declined post‐Katrina to 7.6% and 20.2%, respectively. BPb decreases also occurred in outer areas. Soil Pb is strongly correlated with other metals. Conclusions: Post‐Katrina re‐building of public housing plus landscaping amends the exposome and reduces childrens BPb. Most importantly, Hurricane Katrina revealed that decreasing the toxicants in the soil exposome is an effective intervention for decreasing childrens BPb. HighlightsHurricane Katrina played a role in decreasing the soil metal exposome of New Orleans.Childrens lead exposure declined on public and private properties Post‐Katrina.Decreases were largest on public properties, however exposure disparities remain.Private residential properties in the city core need landscaping with low metal soil.