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

飓风卡特里娜在新奥尔良及周边教区造成大范围洪灾。受影响地区沉积的沉积物中含有高达5wt%的框状黄铁矿。沉积物中的黄铁矿具有可吸入的粒度。随着沉积物干涸，清理和重建工作开始进行，返回该地区的工人和居民可能会通过吸入接触到框状黄铁矿。最近的研究表明，黄铁矿自发地产生过氧化氢并分解核酸(RNA和DNA)。暴露在黄铁矿下的人肺细胞会在细胞内产生过氧化氢和细胞因子，这是细胞炎症的标志。最近的这些结果引起了人们的担忧，即工人和返乡居民在清理和重建工作中暴露在沉积物中可能会对健康产生不利影响。在拟议的研究中，美国地质勘探局收集和表征的沉积物将测试它们产生过氧化氢、分解核酸和扰乱人类肺细胞的能力。此外，还将利用同步加速器XRF测定框状黄铁矿中痕量金属的含量及其分布。这项研究将与由合作者杰夫·普卢姆利博士领导的USGS团队正在进行的努力紧密结合在一起。这项拟议的研究将对飓风引发的洪水导致的沉积物的细胞毒性进行快速的第一次评估。拟议的工作也为未来涉及其他地球材料的研究提供了蓝图。这项工作的具体结果可能对受影响地区的地方官员有用，并为沉积物可能对健康造成的影响提供指导。需要进行长期的医学研究，以确定暴露在淤泥中的影响，但这项研究的结果将提供有用的快速初步评估。这项拟议的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，并吸引对与健康有关的问题感兴趣的学生进入地球科学。这项工作的结果将作为与美国地质调查局的联合出版物发表。研究结果还将在2005年11月的公众讲座和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.