ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CATALYST: VISUALIZING AND ANALYZING SOIL CONTAMINATION AND BIOAVAILABILITY OF METAL(LOID)S FOR ACTION WITH COMMUNITIES

Mining poses ecological and human health risks. Arizona, US has naturally occurring As that can be exacerbated by mining activities. Arsenic exposure is associated with cancer and noncancer outcomes depending on the route, dose, duration as well as the genetics, work, and lifestyle of each individual person. This work outlines a co-created community science process with the rural town of Superior, AZ, which is subject to potential environmental hazards from legacy, active, and proposed extraction activities. Community scientists and university researchers determined metal(loid) concentrations in drinking water, soil, and dust. After extensive data sharing efforts, participants began to question past remediation efforts and pose new research questions, e.g.: (1) What sites were remediated?; (2) What determined a site’s eligibility for remediation?; (3) How can we protect families that are unknowingly moving into homes that are contaminated?. Thus, to answer the community questions, Gardenroots efforts evolved and responded by: (a) maintaining community engagement, (b) creating an interactive soil contaminant map; and (c) determining site-specific Pb and As gastric bioavailability. The soil contaminant visualization includes data pre- (126 property values) and post-smelter (17 property values) demolition soil data. To determine the bioavailable fraction (BAF), In-Vitro Bioaccessibility Assays (EPA Method 1340) was conducted using residential soils. Our assay calculations indicate BAF for Pb (0.03-0.79) and As (0.12-0.53). To prompt further soil remediation, we hosted a multi-government organization soilSHOP to provide soil screening and health education. Based on community reporting and media tracking, Gardenroots and the soilSHOP prompted further action by the Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP), to continue with their Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) being overseen by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. The VRP is designed to provide environmental monitoring and remediation in town. It is anticipated that the recent actions taken by BHP and Resolution Copper are a result of the co-created community science and soilSHOP, both of which are designed to reduce information disparities and increase environmental health literacy.