Possible Health Effects of Hurricane-Deposited Sediments: the Role of Pyrite

1994年卡特里娜飓风在新奥尔良及其周围的教区造成了大范围的洪水。沉积在受影响地区的沉积物中含有高达5%（重量）的草莓状黄铁矿。沉积物中的黄铁矿为可吸入粒级。随着沉积物的干燥和清理和重建工作的进行，返回该地区的工人和市民可能会通过吸入暴露于硫铁矿。最近的研究表明，黄铁矿自发产生过氧化氢并分解核酸（RNA和DNA）。暴露于黄铁矿的人肺细胞显示出细胞内过氧化氢以及细胞因子的产生，这是细胞炎症的标志。这些最近的结果引起了人们的关注，工人和返回的公民可能会遇到不利的健康影响，因为他们在清理和重建工作中暴露于沉积物中。在拟议的研究中，美国地质调查局收集和表征的沉积物，将测试其产生过氧化氢的能力，分解核酸，和人类肺细胞失调。此外，本文还利用同步辐射X射线荧光光谱法测定了草莓状黄铁矿中微量金属元素的含量及其分布。这项研究将与美国地质勘探局团队正在进行的工作紧密结合，该团队由合作者Geoff Plumlee博士领导。拟议的研究将提供一个快速的第一次评估的沉积物的细胞毒性的结果，飓风相关的洪水。拟议的工作也提供了一个蓝图，为未来的研究涉及其他地球材料。这项工作的具体结果可能对受影响地区的地方官员有用，并就沉积物可能对健康产生的影响提供指导，需要进行长期医学研究，以确定接触淤泥的影响，但这项研究的结果将提供有用的快速初步评估。这项研究综合了地球化学和生物化学领域的概念和技术。这些领域的整合将为地球化学家提供新的研究途径，并吸引对地球科学健康相关问题感兴趣的学生。这项工作的结果将作为与美国地质勘探局的联合出版物出版。研究结果还将在2005年11月为公众举办的讲座和2006年即将举办的短期课程中介绍。

AbstractEAR-0601994SCHOONENHurricane Katrina caused wide spread flooding in New Orleans and surroundingParishes. Sediment deposited in the affected area contains as much as 5 weight %framboidal pyrite. The pyrite in the sediment is in a respirable size fraction. As the sediment is drying out and the cleanup and rebuilding effort gets underway, workers and citizens returning to the area may be exposed to framboidal pyrite via inhalation. Recent work has shown that pyrite produces hydrogen peroxide spontaneously and decomposes nucleic acids (RNA and DNA). Human lung cells exposed to pyrite show the production of hydrogen peroxide within the cell as well as cytokines, which are a signature of inflammation of the cell. These recent results give rise to a concern that workers and returning citizens may experience adverse health effects as they are exposed to the sediment during the clean up and reconstruction effort.In the proposed study, sediments collected and characterized by the USGS, will be tested for their ability to produce hydrogen peroxide, decompose nuclei acids, and disregulate human lung cells. In addition, the trace metal concentration and their distribution in framboidal pyrite will be determined using synchrotron-based XRF. The study will be tightly integrated with the ongoing effort by the USGS team, led by collaborator Dr. Geoff Plumlee.Intellectual Merit. The proposed study will provide a rapid first assessment of the cytotoxcity of the sediment deposited as a result of the hurricane-related flooding.The proposed work also provides a blue print for future studies involving other earth materials.Broader Impact. The specific results of the work may be of use to local officials in the affected area and provide guidance on the possible health effects of the sediment.Long-term medical studies will need to be conducted to determine the impact of exposure to the muck, but the results of this study will provide a useful rapid first assessment. The proposed study integrates concepts and techniques from the fields of geochemistry and biochemistry. The integration of these fields will provide new avenues of research for geochemists and attract students with an interest in health-related problems to theGeosciences. The results of this work will be published as joint publications with theUSGS. The results will also be presented in a lecture for the general public in November 2005 and at an upcoming short course in 2006.