Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability and School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Department of Pharmacology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 1;18(3):1314. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18031314.
Spatialized racial injustices drive morbidity and mortality inequalities. While many factors contribute to environmental injustices, Pb is particularly insidious, and is associated with cardio-vascular, kidney, and immune dysfunctions and is a leading cause of premature death worldwide. Here, we present a revised analysis from the New Orleans dataset of soil lead (SPb) and children's blood Pb (BPb), which was systematically assembled for 2000-2005 and 2011-2016. We show the spatial-temporal inequities in SPb, children's BPb, racial composition, and household income in New Orleans. Comparing medians for the inner city with outlying areas, soil Pb is 7.5 or 9.3 times greater, children's blood Pb is ~2 times higher, and household income is lower. Between 2000-2005 and 2011-2016, a BPb decline occurred. Long-standing environmental and socioeconomic Pb exposure injustices have positioned Black populations at extreme risk of adverse health consequences. Given the overlapping health outcomes of Pb exposure with co-morbidities for conditions such as COVID-19, we suggest that further investigation be conducted on Pb exposure and pandemic-related mortality rates, particularly among Black populations. Mapping and remediating invisible environmental Pb provides a path forward for preventing future populations from developing a myriad of Pb-related health issues.
空间化的种族不平等导致发病率和死亡率的不平等。虽然许多因素导致环境不公平，但铅尤其阴险，与心血管、肾脏和免疫系统功能障碍有关，是全球范围内导致过早死亡的主要原因。在这里，我们提出了对新奥尔良土壤铅 (SPb) 和儿童血铅 (BPb) 数据集的重新分析，这些数据是在 2000-2005 年和 2011-2016 年系统收集的。我们展示了新奥尔良 SPb、儿童 BPb、种族构成和家庭收入的时空不平等。将市中心与外围地区的中位数进行比较，土壤铅含量高出 7.5 或 9.3 倍，儿童血铅含量高出约 2 倍，家庭收入较低。在 2000-2005 年至 2011-2016 年期间，BPb 水平下降。长期存在的环境和社会经济铅暴露不公平使黑人处于遭受不良健康后果的极端风险之中。鉴于铅暴露与 COVID-19 等疾病的合并症的重叠健康后果，我们建议对铅暴露与大流行相关死亡率进行进一步调查，特别是在黑人中。对无形环境铅的映射和修复为防止未来人群出现一系列与铅相关的健康问题提供了一条前进的道路。
