Children, Soils, and Health: How Do Polluted Soils Influence Children's Health?

Mielke, Howard W.; Alexander, Jan; Langedal, Marianne; Ottesen, Rolf Tore

doi:10.1002/9780470670071.ch10

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 66 publications

(77 reference statements)

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“…In this respect, a special emphasis is placed on children since their organisms and immune system are still immature. Another fact to explain the sensitivity of children is that for them is more likely to come into contact with soils/soil-derived materials and that due to low stature they inhale topsoil weatheringinduced contaminants more intensively than adults (Mielke 2011;Kumpiene and Brännvall 2011;Tepanosyan et al 2017a). Also, it needs to take into consideration so-called main venues, which for children commonly are kindergartens (Sun et al 2013;Zheng et al 2015), for adultscertain functional urban areas (Jing et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury soil contents and associated ecological and health risks in kindergartens and functional areas of the city of Vanadzor (Armenia)

Sahakyan

Tepanosyan

Melkonyan

et al. 2019

GES

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Mercury is a widespread environmental pollutant becoming a crucial health concern as a result of natural and anthropogenic releases. Understanding Hg distribution pattern between different functional urban areas is needed for urban pollution control and health impact assessment. Therefore, in this paper urban soil Hg spatial distribution, pollution level evaluation, and mercury-induced health risks were studied, for different urban functional areas (355 samples) and kindergartens (18 samples) of Vanadzor. Geospatial mapping and the geostatistical analysis suggest that Hg concentration in the entire area of Vanadzor and its kindergartens has a natural origin, besides a certain anthropogenic impact on some urban sites. According to geoaccumulation index (Igeo), uncontaminated or moderately contaminated levels were detected only in 2 samples from industrial area and 5 samples from residential area, the remaining samples were classified as uncontaminated. In all kindergartens and the 22.15 sq.km of the city (270 samples) are characterized by low level potential ecological risk, whereas 3.85 sq.km (85 samples) correspond to moderate and for 1 sampling site high level of potential ecological risk. A non-carcinogenic health risk assessed for children and adults indicates health hazards neither in Vanadzor entire areas nor in kindergartens. The hazard index (HI) in each urban functional area is less than allowable level (HI <1) for children and adults. Obtained results are indicative and offer the ability for better management of urban soil and urban planning in terms of Hg pollution regulation in different functional areas.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury soil contents and associated ecological and health risks in kindergartens and functional areas of the city of Vanadzor (Armenia)

Sahakyan

Tepanosyan

Melkonyan

et al. 2019

GES

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“…Pb is well known for its correlation with anthropogenic activity, and therefore urban centres(Albanese et al 2011;Locutura and Bel-lan 2011). Identified sources of lead in urban environments include historical use of leaded fuel and lead in paint(Chirenje et al 2004;Mielke and Zahran 2012;Mielke et al 2011).…”

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confidence: 99%

Comparison of methods used to calculate typical threshold values for potentially toxic elements in soil

McIlwaine

Cox

Doherty

et al. 2014

Environ Geochem Health

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The environmental quality of land can be assessed by calculating relevant threshold values, which differentiate between concentrations of elements resulting from geogenic and diffuse anthropogenic sources and concentrations generated by point sources of elements. A simple process allowing the calculation of these typical threshold values (TTVs) was applied across a region of highly complex geology (Northern Ireland) to six elements of interest; arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, nickel and vanadium. Three methods for identifying domains (areas where a readily identifiable factor can be shown to control the concentration of an element) were used: k-means cluster analysis, boxplots and empirical cumulative distribution functions (ECDF). The ECDF method was most efficient at determining areas of both elevated and reduced concentrations and was used to identify domains in this investigation. Two statistical methods for calculating normal background concentrations (NBCs) and upper limits of geochemical baseline variation (ULBLs), currently used in conjunction with legislative regimes in the UK and Finland respectively, were applied within each domain. The NBC methodology was constructed to run within a specific legislative framework, and its use on this soil geochemical data set was influenced by the presence of skewed distributions and outliers. In contrast, the ULBL methodology was found to calculate more appropriate TTVs that were generally more conservative than the NBCs. TTVs indicate what a "typical" concentration of an element would be within a defined geographical area and should be considered alongside the risk that each of the elements pose in these areas to determine potential risk to receptors.

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“…Many studies have shown that populations exposed to high concentrations of potentially harmful elements (PHE) such as As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn in the environment can have their health adversely affected (Mielke et al 2011; Nriagu 2011; Selinus 2005; Skinner and Berger 2003; WHO 1996). Although these metals/metalloids (hereafter metals) occur naturally in soil, concentrations can be elevated as a result of anthropogenic activities such as industrialisation, transportation and waste disposal, particularly in urban environments (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An initial assessment of spatial relationships between respiratory cases, soil metal content, air quality and deprivation indicators in Glasgow, Scotland, UK: relevance to the environmental justice agenda

Morrison

Fordyce

Scott

2013

Environ Geochem Health

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There is growing interest in links between poor health and socio-environmental inequalities (e.g. inferior housing, crime and industrial emissions) under the environmental justice agenda. The current project assessed associations between soil metal content, air pollution (NO2/PM10) and deprivation and health (respiratory case incidence) across Glasgow. This is the first time that both chemical land quality and air pollution have been assessed citywide in the context of deprivation and health for a major UK conurbation. Based on the dataset ‘averages’ for intermediate geography areas, generalised linear modelling of respiratory cases showed significant associations with overall soil metal concentration (p = 0.0367) and with deprivation (p < 0.0448). Of the individual soil metals, only nickel showed a significant relationship with respiratory cases (p = 0.0056). Whilst these associations could simply represent concordant lower soil metal concentrations and fewer respiratory cases in the rural versus the urban environment, they are interesting given (1) possible contributions from soil to air particulate loading and (2) known associations between airborne metals like nickel and health. This study also demonstrated a statistically significant correlation (−0.213; p < 0.05) between soil metal concentration and deprivation across Glasgow. This highlights the fact that despite numerous regeneration programmes, the legacy of environmental pollution remains in post-industrial areas of Glasgow many decades after heavy industry has declined. Further epidemiological investigations would be required to determine whether there are any causal links between soil quality and population health/well-being. However, the results of this study suggest that poor soil quality warrants greater consideration in future health and socio-environmental inequality assessments.

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Children, Soils, and Health: How Do Polluted Soils Influence Children's Health?

Cited by 6 publications

References 66 publications

Mercury soil contents and associated ecological and health risks in kindergartens and functional areas of the city of Vanadzor (Armenia)

Mercury soil contents and associated ecological and health risks in kindergartens and functional areas of the city of Vanadzor (Armenia)

Comparison of methods used to calculate typical threshold values for potentially toxic elements in soil

An initial assessment of spatial relationships between respiratory cases, soil metal content, air quality and deprivation indicators in Glasgow, Scotland, UK: relevance to the environmental justice agenda

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