Project 3 - Effect of Extreme Weather on Potential Exposure of Contaminant Mixtures in Karst Water Systems

项目概要 我们建议评估飓风、干旱和强烈风暴等极端天气对 暴露于岩溶水系统中污染物混合物的风险。岩溶系统是重要的资源来源 可供人类消费的淡水，但极易受到多种来源的污染。作为一个 结果，喀斯特地下水对接触污染物混合物构成重大风险，从而对健康构成重大风险 影响。这些系统中的流动可能通过裂缝、管道和岩石基质发生。因为他们的 喀斯特系统具有独特的特征，对极端天气条件的反应与其他含水层不同。 在暴风雨条件下，大量污染物和沉积物进入地下并被输送 通过管道快速且不衰减地到达储存和暴露点。干燥条件下，沉积物 不动；污染物储存在沉积物和岩石基质中，并在很长一段时间内缓慢释放 一段时间，导致长期暴露。负载、物理化学性质、流动性和 储存特性导致岩溶水域中污染物的动态和不均匀分布。 然而，人们对极端天气如何影响动态分布和暴露程度知之甚少。 岩溶水中的污染物混合物及其对健康的影响。 拟议的工作将评估极端天气对 (1) 地下水水力和地球化学的影响 条件，(2) 沉积物迁移、沉积以及与污染物的潜在相互作用，以及 (3) 分布 潜在暴露点的污染物混合物。基于之前的发现和现有的 基础设施方面，该项目重点关注波多黎各北部的喀斯特地区，该地区是 PROTECT 的工作是研究接触多种与超级基金相关的污染物对不良反应的影响 妊娠结果。要研究的污染物是邻苯二甲酸盐、农药、氯化挥发性有机物 化合物和金属，因为它们常见于波多黎各喀斯特地区的超级基金地点 并可能对妊娠结局产生不利影响。拟议的研究将应用创新的数据分析 从数据中挖掘、可视化和提取模式和事实的技术，并利用这些事实 推理并建立基于数据的模型。该模型将用于描述和预测极端情况的影响 天气对地下水和自来水潜在暴露点的混合物分布的影响。这部作品 还将评估喀斯特沉积物在极端天气期间污染物的命运和迁移中的作用 通过对喀斯特洞穴沉积物中与深度相关的特性进行新的分析来确定条件。 通过综合的多学科方法，该项目将有助于（i）的发展 评估多种超级基金相关危险物质暴露风险的创新方法 （项目 1 和 3）及其与不良妊娠结局的关联（项目 1 和 2）； (ii) 优化 减少岩溶水域污染物数量和毒性的技术（项目 2 和 4）。

PROJECT SUMMARY We propose to assess the effect of extreme weather, such as hurricanes, droughts, and intense storms, on risks for exposure to contaminant mixtures in karst water systems. Karst systems are important sources of freshwater for human consumption, but are highly susceptible to contamination from multiple sources. As a result, karst groundwater poses a significant risk for exposure to contaminant mixtures and hence health impacts. Flow in these systems may occur through fractures, conduits, and rock matrix. Because of their unique characteristics, karst systems respond differently to extreme weather conditions than other aquifers. Under storm conditions, high loads of contaminants and sediments enter the subsurface and are transported rapidly and unattenuated through conduits to storage and exposure points. Under dry conditions, sediments are immobile; contaminants are stored in sediments and the rock matrix, and are slowly released over long periods of time, resulting in long-term exposure. Differences in loads, physicochemical properties, mobility, and storage characteristics result in dynamic and heterogeneous distribution of contaminants in karst waters. However, little is known about how extreme weather impacts the dynamic distribution and exposure of contaminant mixtures in karst water and how they may affect health. The proposed work will assess the effect of extreme weather on (1) groundwater hydraulic and geochemical conditions, (2) sediment transport, deposition, and potential interactions with contaminants, and (3) distribution of contaminant mixtures at points of potential exposure. Building on previous findings and existing infrastructure, the project focuses on the karst region of northern Puerto Rico, which is the focal area of PROTECT’s work to study the impact of exposure to multiple Superfund-related contaminants on adverse pregnancy outcomes. The contaminants to be studied are phthalates, pesticides, chlorinated volatile organic compounds, and metals because they are commonly found in Superfund sites in karst regions in Puerto Rico and can adversely affect pregnancy outcomes. The proposed research will apply innovative data analytics techniques to mine, visualize, and extract patterns and facts from data, and utilize those facts to make inferences and build data-based models. The models will be used to describe and predict the effect of extreme weather on the distribution of mixtures at groundwater and tap water potential points of exposure. This work will also assess the role of karst sediments in the fate and transport of contaminants during extreme weather conditions through novel analysis of depth-related properties in sediment deposits from karst caves. Through an integrated multidisciplinary approach, this project will contribute to the development of (i) innovative methods for assessing exposure risks to multiple, superfund-related hazardous substances (Projects 1 & 3) and their association to adverse pregnancy outcomes (Projects 1 & 2); and (ii) optimized technologies for reducing the amount and toxicity of contaminants in karst waters (Projects 2 & 4).