Lead Pollution, Demographics, and Environmental Health Risks: The Case of Philadelphia, USA

Michael J. O’Shea, Jonas Toupal, Hasibe Caballero-Gómez, Thomas P. McKeon, Marilyn V. Howarth, Richard Pepino and Reto Gieré
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Michael J. O’Shea: Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Jonas Toupal: Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Hasibe Caballero-Gómez: Department of Chemistry, Haverford College, Haverford, PA 19041, USA
Thomas P. McKeon: Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Marilyn V. Howarth: Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Richard Pepino: Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Reto Gieré: Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 17, 1-22

Abstract: Lead (Pb) soil contamination in urban environments represents a considerable health risk for exposed populations, which often include environmental justice communities. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PA), Pb pollution is a major concern primarily due to extensive historical Pb-smelting/processing activity and legacy use of Pb-based paints and leaded gasoline. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) organized and/or compiled community-driven soil sampling campaigns to investigate Pb content in surface soils across Philadelphia. Using these data ( n = 1277), combined with our own dataset ( n = 1388), we explored the spatial distribution of Pb content in soils across the city using ArcGIS. While assessing Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP)-code level data, we found strong correlations between factors, such as the percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels (% EBLL) and % minority population as well as between % EBLL and % children in poverty. We developed a “ Lead Index ” that took demographics, median measured Pb-in-soil content, and % EBLLs into account to identify ZIP codes in need of further assessment. Our results will be used to help lower the Pb-exposure risk for vulnerable children living in disproportionately burdened communities.

Keywords: Pb pollution; ArcGIS; land use; childhood health risks; environmental health; environmental justice communities; risk assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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