Confirming the Environmental Concerns of Community Members Utilizing Participatory-Based Research in the Houston Neighborhood of Manchester

Abstract

In the last few decades, there has been an increase in community-based participatory research being conducted within the United States. Recent research has demonstrated that working with local community organizations, interest groups, and individuals can assist in the creation of, and sustainability in, health initiatives, adoption of emergency protocols, and potentially improve health outcomes for at-risk populations. However little research has assessed if communal concerns over environmental contaminants would be confirmed through environmental research. This cross-sectional study collected survey data and performed surface water analysis for heavy metals in a small neighborhood in Houston, TX, which is characterized by industrial sites, unimproved infrastructure, nuisance flooding, and poor air quality. Surveys were completed with 109 residents of the Manchester neighborhood. Water samples were taken from thirty zones within the neighborhood and assessed for arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), silver (Ag), and mercury (Hg). Survey results showed that the vast majority of all respondents were concerned over proximity to industry and waste facilities, as well as exposure to standing surface water. Barium was discovered in every sample and many of the zones showed alarming levels of certain metals. For example, one zone, two blocks from a public park, showed levels of arsenic at 180 (μg/L), barium at 3296 (μg/L), chromium at 363 (μg/L), lead at 1448 (μg/L), and mercury at 10 (μg/L). These findings support the hypothesis that neighborhood members are aware of the issues affecting their community and can offer researchers valuable assistance in every stage of study design and execution.

Domestic Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Houston, Texas, Environmental Justice Neighborhood

“…1). Individuals living within this community experience conditions typical to environmental justice communities including acute and chronic pollution (Chakraborty et al 2014), nuisance flooding (Collins, Grineski, and Chakraborty 2018; Houston Chronicle 2001), air pollution (Linder, Marko, and Sexton 2008; Collins et al 2015; Sexton et al 2007), and harmful surface water (Sansom et al 2016). Houston Ship Channel communities are at particularly high risk of impacts from the nexus of exposure to hazardous substances and natural disasters.…”

Citizen Science-Informed Community Master Planning: Land Use and Built Environment Changes to Increase Flood Resilience and Decrease Contaminant Exposure

“…Results from a December 2015 community health assessment conducted by the Texas A&M University Institute for Sustainable Communities and t.e.j.a.s. provided support for the hypothesis that hazardous environmental exposures and poor health status were at the forefront of the community's concerns [17,18]. Therefore, as a citizen science project and in partnership with community stakeholders, especially local high school students, we sampled indoor and outdoor air, indoor dust, surface and drinking water, and surface soil to evaluate the presence and concentrations of toxic exposures in the neighborhood of Manchester and nearby Houston Ship Channel neighborhoods (see Figure 1).…”

“…of toxic exposures in the neighborhood of Manchester and nearby Houston Ship Channel neighborhoods (see Figure 1). In November 2016, surface water in 30 public areas across the Manchester neighborhood was sampled and tested for metal(iod)s. These areas were identified by residents as being prone to water pooling after rainfall [18]. Tap water samples were collected from the kitchen faucets of 13 Manchester homes in February 2019 and analyzed for the presence of lead [1].…”

Participatory action research: tools for disaster resilience education

“…Findings showed that the community had a significantly lower physical composite score compared to national and state scores, while their mental composite ratings were relatively in line with expectations. The longer individuals had lived in Manchester, the lower their physical composite scores were (Sansom et al , 2016). This activity helped participants learn about collecting information on social outcomes from hazard exposure and how hazards affect the daily life of residents.…”