Expected completion: August 2016. The following text is an excerpt from the significance statement of my thesis proposal.

 

Industrial activities such as mining, smelting, and refining along with lead-based consumer products and past use of leaded gasoline have increased total content of lead in soil beyond naturally occurring levels. Naturally occurring levels of lead in soil range from 50 to 400ppm (https://www.epa.gov/lead/learn-about-lead). Studying lead in soil is important specifically in Chicago because of the prevalence of urban gardening, and limited access to fresh and local produce. There are more than half a million people in Chicago living in food deserts, so it is imperative that the crops are not growing in contaminated soil, as lead can be ingested through food consumption (Witzling, et.al, 2011). It is crucial to measure lead concentrations in soil because of the effects it has on human and environmental health. Common ways that humans become exposed to lead in soil are through inhalation, ingestion, and tracking into a home via shoes. Pregnant women and children are most at risk due to their developing bodies. Symptoms of lead poisoning include behavior and learning problems, lower IQ, slowed growth, hearing problems, anemia, premature birth, reduced growth of a fetus, and in some cases death. (<http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdph/supp_info/food_environ/childhood_lead_poisoningpreventionandhealthyhomesprogram.html).            

            In this research, it is hypothesized that soil total lead and bioavailable lead levels will be higher in areas with increased industrial activity. It is also hypothesized that areas that have experienced past industrial activity will have higher soil total and bioavailable lead concentrations. For the purposes of this research, industrial activity is defined as mining, smelting, high traffic/transportation, manufacturing, as well as scrap yards, landfills, certain sewage treatment plants, and hazardous waste management facilities. Although industrialization is important for economic growth, it can be detrimental to the environment due to the pollution it often yields. Soil becomes contaminated with these pollutants through direct exposure, such as leakage and emission of toxic gases, and groundwater pollution. Due to the physical and chemical properties of soil, these pollutants can remain in soil long after direct exposure (http://www.sviva.gov.il/English/env_topics/IndustryAndBusinessLicensing/Pages/EnvironmentalImpactOfBusiness.aspx). It is also crucial to note the difference between soil total lead and bioavailable lead. Bioavailable lead  is the amount that can actually be absorbed into the body, while the total lead content is the relative concentration of Pb in the soil (https://www.epa.gov/superfund/soil-bioavailability-superfund-sites). Soil collected from twenty-two sites will be tested in Lake, Cook, Will and DuPage counties of Illinois. The goal of this research is to compare soil total and bioavailable lead concentrations among sampling sites in these four counties using analysis of variance and other techniques such as Kriging, and Getis-Ord Gi* analyses using GIS. Historical and present industrial activity indices of the four counties will be assessed through land use classification in remote sensing.

            This research might give insight to people living near or around these specific sites. For example, they might be interested in the effects of soil lead concentrations on their health, and how prevalent it is in their area. Although elevated blood lead levels in the Chicago area has historically been an issue of environmental justice and classism, this information could potentially spark discussions about how soil lead can affect everyone, not just the impoverished or underprivileged.