The efficacy of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) tests for detecting microbial contamination in rooftop-harvested rainwater.

As climate change strains the world's freshwater resources, access to safe and clean water becomes limited. The use of alternative water sources, such as rooftop-harvested rainwater, has become one mechanism to address freshwater scarcity in the American Southwest, particularly when it comes to home gardening. The University of Arizona's Project Harvest, in partnership with the Sonora Environmental Research Institute, Inc., is a multi-year, co-created citizen science project aimed at increasing current understanding of harvested rainwater quality. Citizens in four Arizona, USA, communities (Hayden/Winkelman, Globe/Miami, Dewey-Humboldt, and Tucson) submitted harvested rainwater samples over 3 years. The harvested rainwater samples were then analyzed using IDEXX Colilert® for total coliforms and E. coli and using Hach PathoScreen™ test for sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). This study design allows for the validation of a low-cost, at-home alternative methodology for testing rainwater for bacteria that may indicate fecal contamination. In total, 226 samples were tested using both methodologies, revealing a positive correlation (r=0.245; p<0.002) between total coliform MPN and SRB MPN, but no discernable correlation between E. coli MPN and SRB MPN. This work indicates a potential value of SRB testing for harvested rainwater if cost, laboratory access, and fecal contamination are of concern.

Arsenic in Drinking Water and Diabetes.

Arsenic is ubiquitous in soil and water environments and is consistently at the top of the Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry (ATSDR) substance priority list. It has been shown to induce toxicity even at low levels of exposure. One of the major routes of exposure to arsenic is through drinking water. This review presents current information related to the distribution of arsenic in the environment, the resultant impacts on human health, especially related to diabetes, which is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases, regulation of arsenic in drinking water, and approaches for treatment of arsenic in drinking water for both public utilities and private wells. Taken together, this information points out the existing challenges to understanding both the complex health impacts of arsenic and to implementing the treatment strategies needed to effectively reduce arsenic exposure at different scales.

Evaluating the Portable X-ray Fluorescence Reliability for Metal(loid)s Detection and Soil Contamination Status.

Environmental Justice (EJ) communities may experience barriers that can prevent soil monitoring efforts and knowledge transfer. To address this gap, this study compared two analytical methods: portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (pXRF, less time and costs) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS, "gold standard"). Surface soil samples were collected from yards and gardens in three counties in Arizona, USA (N=124) and public areas in Troy, New York, USA (N=33). Statistical calculations, i.e., two-sample t-tests, Bland-Altman plots, and a two-way ANOVA indicated no significant difference for As, Ba, Ca, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn concentrations except for Ba in the two-sample t-test. Iron, Ni, Cr, and K were statistically different for Arizona soils and V, Ni, Fe and Al concentrations were statistically different for New York soils. To assess the degree of contamination, a pollution load index (PLI), enrichment factors (EF), and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) were calculated for both methods using U.S. Geological Survey soils data. The PLI were >1, indicating pollution across the two states. Between pXRF and ICP-MS, the Igeo and EF in Arizona had similar degree of soil contamination for most elements except Zn in garden and Pb in yard, respectively. In New York, the Igeo of As, Cu, and Zn differed by an order of magnitude between the two methods. The results of this study demonstrate that pXRF is a reliable method for the inexpensive and rapid analysis of As, Ba, Ca, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn. Thus, EJ communities may use pXRF to screen large numbers of soil samples for several environmentally relevant contaminants to protect environmental public health.

Backyard aerosol pollution monitors: foliar surfaces, dust enrichment, and factors influencing foliar retention.

Air pollution is one of the leading causes of death from noncommunicable diseases globally, and in Arizona, both mining activities and abandoned agriculture can generate erodible dust. This dust is transported via wind and can carry high amounts of toxic pollutants. Industry-adjacent communities, or "fenceline communities," are generally closer to the pollution sources and are disproportionally impacted by pollution, or in this case, dust. The dust transported from the mine settles into nearby rivers, gardens, and homes, and increases the concentrations of elements beyond their naturally occurring amounts (i.e., enriched). This study was built upon previous community science work in which plant leaves were observed to collect similar concentrations to an accepted dust collection method and illustrated promise for their use as low-cost air quality monitors in these communities. This work investigated the concentration of Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Mo, and Ba in dust from the leaves of community-collected backyard and garden plants (foliar dust), as well as if certain variables affected collection efficacy. This assessment evaluated (1) foliar concentration versus surface area for 11 elements, (2) enrichment factor (EF) values and ratios, (3) comparisons of foliar, garden, and yard samples to US Geological Survey data, and (4) what variable significantly affected dust collection efficacy. The EF results indicate that many of the samples were enriched (anthropogenically contaminated) and that the foliar samples were generally more contaminated than the yard and garden soil samples. Leaf surface area was the most influential factor for leaf collection efficiency (p < 0.05) compared to plant family or sampling location. Further studies are needed that standardize the plant species and age and include multiple replicates of the same plant species across partnering communities. This study has demonstrated that foliar dust is enriched in the participating partnering communities and that plant leaf samples can serve as backyard aerosol pollution monitors. Therefore, foliar dust is a viable indicator of outdoor settled dust and aerosol contamination and this is an adoptable monitoring technique for "fenceline communities."

Dissolved arsenic and lead concentrations in rooftop harvested rainwater: Community generated dataset.

Here, we detail arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) concentrations in community science generated rooftop harvested rainwater data from Project Harvest (PH), a co-created community science study, and National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) National Trends Network wet-deposition AZ samples as analyzed by Palawat et al. [1]. 577 field samples were collected in PH and 78 field samples were collected by NADP. All samples were analyzed via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for dissolved metal(loid)s including As and Pb by the Arizona Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants after 0.45 um filtration and acidification. Method limits of detection (MLOD) were assessed and sample concentrations above MLODs were considered detects. Summary statistics and box and whisker plots were generated to assess variables of interest such as community and sampling window. Finally, As and Pb data is provided for potential reuse; the data can be used to assess contamination of harvested rainwater in AZ and to inform community use of natural resources.

Assessing the impact of rainwater harvesting infrastructure and gardening trends on microbial indicator organism presence in harvested rainwater and garden soils.

AIM: To assess the microbial water quality of harvested rainwater infrastructure used to supplement household water uses for homegrown produce. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using a co-created community science methodology, between 2017 and 2020, a total of 587 harvested rainwater samples and 147 garden soil samples irrigated with harvested rainwater were collected from four Arizona communities and analyzed for coliform, Escherichia coli, and/or Salmonella. Participants also completed a home description survey regarding their home and surrounding area, water harvesting infrastructure, and gardening habits. CONCLUSION: Chi-Square tests revealed that the quality of harvested rainwater is affected by proximity to a waste disposal or incineration facility, animal presence, cistern treatment, and cistern age (P < 0.05), while soil samples were associated with community (P < 0.05). Coliform and E. coli concentrations in both sample types were greater in the monsoon season.

Patterns of contamination and burden of lead and arsenic in rooftop harvested rainwater collected in Arizona environmental justice communities.

As climate change exacerbates water scarcity, rainwater harvesting for household irrigation and gardening becomes an increasingly common practice. However, the use and quality of harvested rainwater are not well studied, and the potential pollutant exposures associated with its use are generally unknown. There are currently no federal standards in the United States to assess metal(loid)s in harvested rainwater. Project Harvest, a community science research project, was created to address this knowledge gap and study the quality of harvested rainwater, primarily used for irrigation, in four environmental justice communities in Arizona, USA. Community scientists collected 577 unique rooftop harvested rainwater samples from 2017 to 2020, which were analyzed for metal(loid)s, where arsenic (As) concentrations ranged from 0.108 to 120 µg L-1 and lead (Pb) concentrations ranged from 0.013 to 350 µg L-1 and compared to relevant federal/state standards/recommendations. Community As and Pb concentrations decreased as: Hayden/Winkelman > Tucson > Globe/Miami > Dewey-Humboldt. Linear mixed models were used to analyze rooftop harvested rainwater data and results indicated that concentrations of As and Pb in the summer monsoon were significantly greater than winter; and contamination was significantly greater closer to extractive industrial sites in three of the four study communities (ASARCO Hayden Plant Superfund Alternative site in Hayden/Winkelman, Davis-Monthan United States Air Force Base in Tucson - Pb only, and Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold Mine in Globe/Miami). Based on models, infrastructure such as proximity to roadway, roof material, presence of a cistern screen, and first-flush systems were not significant with respect to As and Pb when controlling for relevant spatiotemporal variables; whereas, cistern age was associated with Pb concentrations. These results however, indicate that concentrations vary seasonally and by proximity to industrial activity, not by decisions made regarding collection system infrastructures at the individual home level. This study shows that generally, individuals are not responsible for environmental contamination of rooftop harvested rainwater, rather activities and decisions of government and corporate industries control contaminant release.

Organic micropollutants measured in roof-harvested rainwater from rural and urban environmental justice communities in Arizona.

Due to global water scarcity and population growth, multiple solutions are needed to conserve and collect water, especially in arid and semi-arid regions of the planet. As the practice of harvesting rainwater grows, it is important to assess the quality of roof-harvested rainwater (RHRW). This study measured twelve organic micropollutants (OMPs) in RHRW samples collected between 2017 and 2020 by community scientists, with approximately two hundred RHRW samples and corresponding field blank analyzed annually. The OMPs analyzed were atrazine, pentachlorophenol (PCP), chlorpyrifos, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), prometon, simazine, carbaryl, nonylphenol (NP), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). OMP concentrations measured in RHRW were below the following existing standards: US EPA Primary Drinking Water Standard, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Partial Body Contact for Surface Waters, and ADEQ Full Body Contact for Surface Waters for analytes in this study. At the time the study was conducted, 28 % of RHRW samples exceeded the non-enforceable US EPA Lifetime Health Advisory (HA) of 70 ng L-1 for the combined sum of PFOS and PFOA with a mean exceedance concentration of 189 ng L-1. When comparing PFOA and PFOS to the June 15, 2022 interim updated HAs of 0.004 ng L-1 and 0.02 ng L-1, respectively, all samples exceeded these values. No RHRW samples exceeded the final proposed HA of 2000 ng L-1 for PFBS. The limited number of state and federal standards established for the contaminants highlighted in this study indicate potential regulatory gaps and that users need to be aware that OMPs may be present in RHRW. Based on these concentrations, domestic activities and intended uses should be carefully considered.

Probabilistic risk assessment of residential exposure to metal(loid)s in a mining impacted community.

The "Gold Country" region of California is impacted by legacy and active gold mines. Concomitantly, Gold Country has an increased rate of female breast cancer relative to the state average. Using community-based participatory research methods, 40 participants completed surveys and collected a total of 354 water, soil, home-grown foods, and dust samples from their homes, which we compared to state, federal, and international contamination standards for arsenic, cadmium, and lead. All soil samples exceeded U.S. EPA and California EPA soil standards for arsenic. When comparing other media to state, federal and international standards for arsenic, cadmium, and lead, 15 additional exceedances for indoor/outdoor dust, drinking water, and/or vegetable were documented. A probabilistic risk assessment was conducted to determine an adult female's exposure to arsenic, cadmium, and lead and estimated risk. Arsenic exposure, due largely to water (63.5 %) and homegrown food (33.3 %), presents carcinogenic risks in excess of the EPA recommended upper limit for contaminated sites (1 × 10-4) in 12.5 % of scenarios, and exceeds a risk level of 1 × 10-6 in 98.0 % of cases. Cadmium exposure results mainly from homegrown food consumption (83.7 %), and lead exposure results from a broader range of sources. This research indicates that rural areas in Gold Country face environmental exposures different than in urban areas. Exposure to arsenic in the female population of Gold Country may be driven by consumption of home-grown foods and water, and exposure to cadmium is driven by home-grown food intake. Since mining sites are of concern internationally, this risk assessment process and associated findings are significant and can be used to inform and tailor public health interventions. The weight of the evidence suggests that the arsenic exposure identified in this study could contribute to increases in the cancer rate among those living in Gold Country, California.

Assessing Children's Lead Exposure in an Active Mining Community Using the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic Model.

Lead exposure has been shown to be harmful to humans in various settings and there are no safe levels of blood lead in children. At an Alternative Superfund site in Hayden-Winkelman, Arizona, with an active copper smelter and concentrator, lead exceedances in air and soil have been measured in the past 20 years. In this work, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic (IEUBK) model was used to estimate Hayden-Winkelman children's (age 6 months-7 years) blood lead levels (BLLs) using site-specific lead concentrations measured in indoor and outdoor air, soil, indoor dust, and drinking water. Values used by a state agency's airborne lead risk forecast program were also evaluated to determine whether their forecasting program is useful in protecting children's public health. Using site-specific values in the model, the results demonstrated that lead ingested via indoor dust was the major contributor to children's BLLs. In addition, the output of the IEUBK model overestimated actual BLLs of children sampled in the community. The IEUBK model was particularly sensitive to high indoor dust levels, and these site-specific measures increased modeled BLL values. This finding is of significance as the IEUBK model is used worldwide in communities with industrial contamination. This study confirmed that the chief contributor to lead exposure in children is household dust. Thus, for lead exposure risk reduction, agencies working at Superfund sites should focus efforts on decontaminating outdoor soil and dust and indoor lead decontamination.

Foliar surfaces as dust and aerosol pollution monitors: An assessment by a mining site.

Recent studies in the southwestern United States have shown that smelting processes and mine tailings emit heavy metal(loid)s that are distributed via wind dispersion to nearby communities. With increased attention regarding the effect of air pollution on environmental health, communities have begun to use citizen/community-based monitoring techniques to measure the concentration of metal(loid)s and evaluate their air quality. This study was conducted in a mining community to assess the efficacy of foliar surfaces as compared to an inverted disc (frisbee) to sample aerosol pollutants in ambient air. The assessment was conducted by evaluating As, Pb, Cd, Cu, Al, Ni, and Zn concentrations versus distance from a former smelter, statistical and regression analyses, and enrichment factor calculations compared to similar sites worldwide. Both the foliar and frisbee collection methods had a decrease in metal(loid)s concentration as a function of distance from the retired smelter. Statistical calculations show that the collection methods had similar mean concentrations for all of the metal(loid)s of interest; however, the tests also indicate that the frisbee collection method generally collected more dust than the foliar method. The enrichment factors from both collection methods were comparable to similar studies by other mining areas referenced, except for aluminum. Since there is evidence of enrichment, correlation between methods, and citizen/community science potential, these efforts show promise for the field. Further studies should consider alternating the types of plant used for foliar collection as well as collecting samples on a more frequent basis in order to sufficiently categorize results based on meteorological conditions.

Participatory Research for Environmental Justice: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Environmental health risks are disproportionately colocated with communities in poverty and communities of color. In some cases, participatory research projects have effectively addressed structural causes of health risk in environmental justice (EJ) communities. However, many such projects fail to catalyze change at a structural level. OBJECTIVES: This review employs Critical Interpretive Synthesis (CIS) to theorize specific elements of participatory research for environmental health that effectively prompt structural change in EJ communities. METHODS: Academic database search was used to identify peer-reviewed literature describing participatory research with EJ communities to address environmental health. Synthetic constructs were developed iteratively related to study characteristics, design elements, and outcomes; and data were extracted for included records. Statistical analyses were performed to assess correlations between study design elements and structural change outcomes. Through critical, comparative, and contextual analyses of the "structural change" case study group and "non- structural change" group, informed by relevant theoretical literature, a synthesizing argument was generated. RESULTS: From 505 total records identified, eligibility screening produced 232 case study articles, representing 154 case studies, and 55 theoretical articles for synthesis. Twenty-six case studies resulted in a structural change outcome. The synthesizing argument states that participatory research with EJ communities may be more likely to result in structural change when a) community members hold formal leadership roles; b) project design includes decision-makers and policy goals; and c) long term partnerships are sustained through multiple funding mechanisms. The assumption of EJ community benefit through research participation is critically examined. DISCUSSION: Recommended future directions include establishing structural change as a goal of participatory research, employing participatory assessment of community benefit, and increased hiring of faculty of color at research institutions. The power, privilege, and political influence that academic institutions are able to leverage in partnership with EJ communities may be as valuable as the research itself. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6274.

Alleviating Environmental Health Disparities Through Community Science and Data Integration.

Environmental contamination is a fundamental determinant of health and well-being, and when the environment is compromised, vulnerabilities are generated. The complex challenges associated with environmental health and food security are influenced by current and emerging political, social, economic, and environmental contexts. To solve these "wicked" dilemmas, disparate public health surveillance efforts are conducted by local, state, and federal agencies. More recently, citizen/community science (CS) monitoring efforts are providing site-specific data. One of the biggest challenges in using these government datasets, let alone incorporating CS data, for a holistic assessment of environmental exposure is data management and interoperability. To facilitate a more holistic perspective and approach to solution generation, we have developed a method to provide a common data model that will allow environmental health researchers working at different scales and research domains to exchange data and ask new questions. We anticipate that this method will help to address environmental health disparities, which are unjust and avoidable, while ensuring CS datasets are ethically integrated to achieve environmental justice. Specifically, we used a transdisciplinary research framework to develop a methodology to integrate CS data with existing governmental environmental monitoring and social attribute data (vulnerability and resilience variables) that span across 10 different federal and state agencies. A key challenge in integrating such different datasets is the lack of widely adopted ontologies for vulnerability and resiliency factors. In addition to following the best practice of submitting new term requests to existing ontologies to fill gaps, we have also created an application ontology, the Superfund Research Project Data Interface Ontology (SRPDIO).

Environmental monitoring and exposure science dataset to calculate ingestion and inhalation of metal(loid)s through preschool gardening.

Metal(loid) contamination may pose an increased risk of exposure to children residing near legacy and active resource extraction sites. Children may be exposed to arsenic, cadmium, and/or lead by ingestion and/or inhalation while engaging in school or home outdoor activities via environmental media including water, soil, dust, and locally grown produce. It is thus critical to collect site-specific data to best assess these risks. This data article provides gastric and lung in-vitro bioaccessibility assay (IVBA) data, as well as environmental monitoring data for water, soil, dust, and garden produce collected from preschools (N = 4) in mining communities throughout Nevada County, California in 2018. Arsenic, cadmium, and lead concentrations in the aforementioned media and synthetic gastric and lung fluids were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This dataset provides useful metal(loid) concentrations for future risk assessments for similar settings.

Communicating the environmental health risk assessment process: formative evaluation and increasing comprehension through visual design.

The environmental health risk assessment process informs clean-up activities at hazardous waste sites. Ensuring this process is accessible and transparent to communities is crucial for environmental health literacy initiatives. The goals of this project were to develop plain language and effective visuals that can be used when communicating the risk assessment process and methods used to predict excess cancer risk(s) due to environmental exposures. In this study, a community factsheet entitled, "Understanding Environmental Health Risk Assessment" was developed and a participatory design and formative evaluation approach was implemented with a set of representative users (n = 11). Community members living in the vicinity of two Arizona hazardous waste sites as well as three public health professionals/researchers were asked to evaluate the functionality and accessibility of the factsheet, particularly the graphics and whether the text was written in plain language. Participant responses revealed the following major findings: 1) form follows function, 2) graphic elements should outweigh text, 3) line of sight and layout is critical to information accessibility, 4) color coding dramatically aids the reader, 5) content should be strategically grouped, 6) concepts per figure should be minimized to ensure comprehension, 7) interactive content is preferred over static content, and 8) communication efforts need to interweave new information with the targeted audience's past and current environmental health understandings to aid in their ability to retain new concepts. Based on participant feedback, new and improved layout decisions, infographics and accompanying text were designed and prepared. This research demonstrates the need and importance of participatory design, information design prototyping, formative evaluation, and a cultural model of risk communication.

A dietary assessment tool to estimate arsenic and cadmium exposures from locally grown foods.

Certain food products have been shown to accumulate arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) making it critical to monitor individual's intake, particularly when they live near sources of environmental contamination. After a literature review, a novel dietary assessment was conducted to estimate a child's potential exposure to these metal(loid)s via consumption of locally grown foods in communities impacted by active or legacy resource extraction activities. Mean ingestion rates of As- and Cd-translocating crops belonging to the Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Caricaceae, Amaranthaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Liliaceae, Solanaceae, Apiaceae, and Fabaceae plant families were calculated for children: 1 to < 2 years, 2 to < 3 years, and 3 to < 6 years of age. These calculated ingestion rates ranged from 0 to 143,571 mg day-1. Farmer-consumer relationship was the leading motivation for buying locally grown foods, while lack of experience/unfamiliarity was the most frequently reported reason for not buying locally. The median percentages of child's yearly consumption of fruits and vegetables originating from stores (conventionally grown) and from local sources (farmer's market) were 48% and 38%, respectively. Tomato was the crop with the highest intake rate among children 1 to < 2 years and 2 to < 3 years of age and broccoli for children 3 to < 6 years of age. It was concluded that families who are reliant on locally grown food products may be disproportionately exposed to As and Cd, which could cause detrimental health effects.

Ingestion and inhalation of metal(loid)s through preschool gardening: An exposure and risk assessment in legacy mining communities.

Children residing in mining towns are potentially disproportionately exposed to metal(loid)s via ingestion and dust inhalation, thus, increasing their exposure when engaging in school or home gardening or playing outside. This citizen science study assessed preschool children's potential arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) exposure via locally grown produce, water, incidental soil ingestion, and dust inhalation at four sites. Participants were trained to properly collect water, soil, and vegetable samples from their preschools in Nevada County, California. As, Cd, and Pb concentrations in irrigation sources did not exceed the U.S. EPA's maximum contaminant and action levels. In general, garden and playground As and Pb soil concentrations exceeded the U.S. EPA Regional Screening Level, CalEPA Human Health Screening Level, and California Department of Toxic Substances Control Screening Level. In contrast, all Cd concentrations were below these recommended screening levels. Dust samples (<10 µm diameter) were generated from surface garden and playground soil collected at the preschools by a technique that simulated windblown dust. Soil and dust samples were then analyzed by in-vitro bioaccessibility assays using synthetic lung and gastric fluids to estimate the bioaccessible fraction of As, Cd, and Pb in the body. Metal(loid) exposure via grown produce revealed that lettuce, carrot, and cabbage grown in the preschool gardens accumulated a higher concentration of metal(loid) than those store-bought nation-wide. None of the vegetables exceeded the respective recommendation maximum levels for Cd and Pb set by the World Health Organization Codex Alimentarius Commission. The results of this study indicate that consumption of preschool-grown produce and incidental soil ingestion were major contributors to preschool-aged children's exposure to As, Cd, and Pb. Traditionally, this level of site- and age-specific assessment and analyses does not occur at contaminated sites. The results of this holistic risk assessment can inform future risk assessment and public health interventions related to childhood metal(loid) exposures.

Public Participation, Trust and Data Sharing: Gardens as Hubs for Citizen Science and Environmental Health Literacy Efforts.

Gardenroots: A Citizen Science Project (2015) is the product of a needs assessment, revealing environmental quality concerns of gardeners living near hazardous waste or resource extraction activities. Participants were trained, collected garden samples for analysis, and later received their data visualized (individual and aggregated) via community events or mail. This article describes participant motivations, changes in knowledge and efficacy, and whether these depend on the mode of data sharing and visualization. Motivations were internal, and self-efficacy increased, while knowledge and satisfaction were higher in event attendees due to increased researcher contact. This reveals importance of data-sharing events, data visualizations, and participatory research processes.

Assessing the feasibility of using a closed landfill for agricultural graze land.

Once landfills are closed and maintained according to the US Environmental Protection Agency's standards and regulations, they are potential sites for revitalization efforts, particularly via agricultural activities. This project was commissioned by the City of Tucson Environmental Services Department as part of an effort to explore ways to reuse one or more of the 16 landfills the department manages in the Tucson metropolitan area. The objective of this project was to assess the feasibility of using a closed landfill to support safe goat browsing. A site history and investigation was conducted at the Harrison Landfill in Tucson, Arizona, to characterize the soil quality and uptake of deleterious metals by the following plants observed at the landfill: Pennisetum ciliare (buffel grass), Baccharis sarothroides (desert broom), Salsola tragus L. (Russian thistle), Larrea tridentata (creosote), Tamarix ramosissima (salt cedar), and Atriplex canescens (fourwing saltbush). Site characterization data were combined with known goat browsing and plant consumption patterns to determine exposure risks. It was observed that soil concentrations of metals (Al, Ag, As, Be, Ba, Fe, Co, Cu, Cr, Cd, Fe, Mn, Ni, V, Se, Mo, Sn, Sb, Pb) did not exceed Arizona Department of Environmental Quality's soil remediation levels. Tamarix ramosissima, Baccharis salicifolia (willow baccharis), Pennisetum ciliare, Salsola tragus L., Baccharis sarothroides, Larrea tridentata, and Atriplex canescens contained metal concentrations that fell well within maximum tolerable levels. In general, this project determined that after soil and plant assessment, urban, arid landfills may be used effectively for economic development through agricultural grazing ventures.

Understanding the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations Associated with Community Gardening to Improve Environmental Public Health Prevention and Intervention.

Considering that community members continue to garden in and near environments impacted by pollutants known to negatively impact human health, this paper seeks to characterize the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of a gardener and elucidate their perception of soil quality and environmental responsibility, awareness of past land use, and gardening behavior. Via semi-structured interviews with community gardeners in the Boston area (N = 17), multifactorial motivations associated with gardening as well as ongoing environmental health challenges were reported. Gardeners are knowledgeable about their garden's historical past and are concerned with soil quality, theft, trash maintenance, animal waste, and loss of produce from foraging animals. Study findings directly inform the field of environmental health exposure assessments by reporting gardening duration, activities that can lead to incidental soil ingestion, and consumption patterns of locally grown produce. This information combined with an understanding of a gardener's intrinsic and extrinsic motivations can be used to develop urban agricultural infrastructure and management strategies, educational programming, and place-based environmental public health interventions.