142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Evaluation of Available Data to Identify Potential Arsenic Hotspots

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014

Adrienne Katner, M.S., D. Env. , Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health, LSU School of Public Health, New Orleans, LA
Michelle Lackovic, MPH , Section of Environmental Epidemiology and Toxicology, Louisiana Office of Public Health, New Orleans, LA
Kate Streva, M.N.S. , Section of Environmental Epidemiology and Toxicology, LSU Office of Public Health, Baton Rouge, LA
Problem Statement: Arsenic in groundwater has been identified as one of the top ten water quality issues in Louisiana. This has important public health implications as groundwater supplies 49% of LA’s population with drinking water. Unlike some states, Louisiana does not require the monitoring and reporting of water quality from private wells, thus the magnitude and extent of potential exposures are unknown. The goal of this study was to identify potential arsenic hotspots and areas where more monitoring is needed.

Methods:To characterize the geographic distribution and magnitude of arsenic in groundwater and soil/sediment, the following datasets were evaluated: LA Department of Health and Hospitals’ (LDHH) Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS); US Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA); USGS’ National Geochemical Survey (NGS); and US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Storage and Retrieval (STORET) Baseline Monitoring Project. To characterize well water use and locations the USGS’s Water Use Database and LA Department of Natural Resources’ (LDNR) Strategic Online Natural Resources Information System (SONRIS) were evaluated. Evaluation criteria included sample size, temporal and geographic coverage, timeliness, data descriptors, and data management resources. Potential hotspots and data gaps were identified.

Results: Only SDWIS and USGS Well Water Use data met the evaluation criteria to enable the identification of potential hotspots. Potential hotspot areas of the state include St. Martin and Iberia parishes.

Conclusions: Identifying all areas of potential concern is compromised without additional monitoring data. Primary outcomes of this project were to develop a better understanding about the levels of arsenic in Louisiana aquifers; and identify areas in need of more monitoring. This is turn may raise awareness, support public health policy changes, and enable more efficient resource allocation decisions by local agencies.  

Learning Areas:

Environmental health sciences
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate and compare available datasets for the purpose of public health surveillance.

Keyword(s): Environmental Health, Surveillance

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal of a federally funded grant focusing on environmental public health tracking. I have conducted environmental public health surveillance for 7 years within the state health department.
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.

Back to: 3087.0: The diverse issues of environmental health