CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF FINE PARTICULATE MATTER IN URBAN, LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD

California State University Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

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Abstract

People who live and work in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods are adversely affected by chronic exposure to high levels of environmental pollutants including heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs). Currently scientists collect discrete samples in polluted areas to identify specific chemicals that may adversely impact the health of the community. We hypothesis that the ability to determine the cumulative effect of pollutant exposure on human health by analyzing discrete samples, will be enhanced by datasets with high temporal resolution yielding unique signatures reflective of regional health disparities. Recent developments in the field of analytical chemistry, including submersible sensors and mass spectrometry, have enhanced our ability to obtain different types of data from environmental samples. The proposed research will refine and deploy sensitive and selective sensors for the detection of heavy metal contaminants in watersheds with high temporal resolution, determine PAC and heavy metal concentrations in discrete water samples with sensitive and selective laboratory-based mass spectrometry techniques, and identify signatures from heavy metal and PAC ratios in watersheds reflective of regional health disparities to test the hypothesis. The proposed research is unique in that the results from this research will be used to facilitate legislative changes that will protect the populations currently victimized by environmental pollutants. We propose to disseminate research results to the public and lawmakers to facilitate environmental justice policies that protect underserved populations. The success of the proposed research will not only enhance the infrastructure at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA), but it will also serve the larger community as well. This service comes in the form of increased quality in the training of research students, especially those from groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences, and informing the community of tangible factors that can be controlled to decrease the contribution of environmental pollutants to health problems experienced by residence of low-income communities.