268063 Diesel exhaust exposure in south Seattle's public parks: A community engagement study

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Jill Schulte , Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Joel Kaufman, MD, MPH , Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Julie Fox, PhD , Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Sheryl Magzamen, PhD , Health Sciences Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK
Nancy Beaudet, MS, CIH , Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Previous research indicates that elevated levels of diesel exhaust from commercial traffic pose a significant health risk to residents of south Seattle, yet little is known about the spatial variations in diesel exhaust exposure levels within individual neighborhoods. South Park and Georgetown, two of Seattle's most diverse and affordable neighborhoods, contain the primary commercial traffic corridors from the port of Seattle to interstates and state highways. Of the 8 public parks in these neighborhoods, 6 are located on arterial roads where much of this traffic is concentrated. Since users of public parks are exposed to ambient air pollution for prolonged periods of time, diesel exhaust is of particular concern in these areas. This study, a unique collaboration between the University of Washington and local community groups, is a fine-scale assessment of diesel exhaust exposure at the neighborhood level. Using a community engagement approach, we will recruit advisory board members and community volunteers to design and implement a diesel exhaust monitoring plan that will allow us to determine whether diesel exhaust concentrations in these public parks exceed neighborhood averages. During 3 public meetings in spring 2012, community members will select an exposure monitoring method from a toolkit of options presented by the research team. Methods will likely include real-time monitoring of volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and/or ultrafine particles during neighborhood walkabouts. The community may also elect to include video-based traffic detection, nitrogen oxide sampling, or bicycle monitoring in the exposure assessment strategy. The first of three sampling campaigns will take place in August 2012. Preliminary results on concentrations of diesel exhaust in public parks as they compare to average levels in South Park and Georgetown will be available by October 2012.

Learning Areas:
Environmental health sciences

Learning Objectives:
Analyze the spatial distribution of diesel exhaust across the South Park and Georgetown neighborhoods of Seattle. Compare diesel exhaust concentrations between 8 south Seattle public parks and their surrounding neighborhoods. Discuss the association between diesel exhaust concentrations and proximity to major roads in south Seattle public parks.

Keywords: Air Quality, Community Participation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a masters-level student of environmental health science. My primary academic and research interests are air quality monitoring and spatial analysis of ambient air pollution.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.