Casillas Gaston A, Johnson Natalie M, Chiu Weihsueh A, Ramirez Juan, McDonald Thomas J, Horney Jennifer A
Dr. Gaston A. Casillas was formerly a doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Faculty in Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA, and is currently a Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention NCEH, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Dr. Natalie M. Johnson is Vice Chair of the Interdisciplinary Faculty in Toxicology and Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health in the School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA. Dr. Weihsueh A. Chiu is a Professor in the Interdisciplinary Faculty in Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA. Mr. Juan Ramirez is Environmental Laboratory Manager at TDI Brooks International, College Station, Texas, USA. Dr. Thomas J. McDonald is a Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health in the School of Public Health at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA. Dr. Jennifer A. Horney was formerly a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Texas A&M University School of Public Health, College Station, Texas, USA, and is currently a Professor at the University of Delaware, College of Health Sciences, Newark, Delaware, USA.
Environ Justice. 2021 Aug 1;14(4):277-287. doi: 10.1089/env.2020.0073. Epub 2021 Aug 12.
Unprecedented inland precipitation and catastrophic flooding associated with Hurricane Harvey potentially redistributed contaminants from industrial sites and transportation infrastructure to recreational areas that make up networks of green infrastructure, creeks, and waterways used for flood control throughout the Greater Houston Area. Sediment samples were collected in parks located near the Buffalo Bayou watershed 1 week after Hurricane Harvey made landfall and again 7 weeks later. Total concentrations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in each sample at both time points. Diagnostic ratios were calculated to improve understanding of potential sources of PAHs after flooding. Diagnostic ratios suggest vehicular traffic to be a potential source for PAHs in parks. Although the concentrations of PAHs in all samples were below EPA actionable levels, given that no background values were available for comparison, it is difficult to quantify the impact flooding from Hurricane Harvey had on PAH concentrations in Houston parks. However, given the high frequency of flooding in Houston, and the concentration of industrial facilities and transportation infrastructure adjacent to recreation areas, these data demonstrate that PAHs were still present after unprecedented flooding. This study may also serve as a baseline for future efforts to understand the environmental health impacts of disasters.
与哈维飓风相关的史无前例的内陆降水和灾难性洪水，可能将污染物从工业场地和交通基础设施重新分配到构成绿色基础设施网络、小溪以及用于大休斯顿地区防洪的水道的休闲区域。在哈维飓风登陆1周后以及7周后，在布法罗河分水岭附近的公园采集了沉积物样本。在两个时间点的每个样本中，都测量了美国环境保护局（EPA）的16种优先多环芳烃（PAHs）的总浓度。计算诊断比值以更好地了解洪水后PAHs的潜在来源。诊断比值表明车辆交通是公园中PAHs的潜在来源。尽管所有样本中PAHs的浓度均低于EPA的可行动水平，但由于没有背景值可供比较，因此难以量化哈维飓风引发的洪水对休斯顿公园中PAHs浓度的影响。然而，鉴于休斯顿洪水频发，且娱乐区域附近工业设施和交通基础设施密集，这些数据表明，在史无前例的洪水过后，PAHs仍然存在。这项研究也可为未来了解灾害对环境健康影响的工作提供基线。
