Characterizing the occurrence and spatial distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil at unregulated dump sites in an Indigenous community

Keywords: PAHs, soil, Indigenous, landfill burning, mixed-methods, community-university partnerships
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

Indigenous communities throughout the US lack sufficient infrastructure for basic services such as solid waste disposal. Inadequate solid waste disposal services can lead to open dumping and burning of waste, releasing hazardous chemicals into the environment which cause negative impacts to human health and well-being. One such class of eco-toxicants is polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which have been labeled as carcinogenic by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). PAHs can be transported through several media such as air and water and eventually bioaccumulate in soil. Research to date with Indigenous communities has measured airborne PAH concentrations but has not investigated presence and accumulation in soil. Given that many Indigenous communities rely heavily on agriculture and the previous literature demonstrating PAH accumulation in soils, it is important to understand the occurrence of PAHs in soils and potential risks surrounding landfill burning. The proposed study supports a critical need for community-engaged research to better assess PAH accumulation in environmental media and support community-specific remediation efforts. Specifically, sampling will take place in an Indigenous community in the northern Great Plains and will consist of surface soil collection at sites of varying distances from a main landfill site. Samples will be analyzed with respect to PAH concentrations and other environmental variables to evaluate contamination. The proposed mixed-methods study will contribute to research on Indigenous environmental exposures over time in multiple media, namely air and soil, as well as cultivate meaningful community-university partnerships which lay the foundation for co-development of future research with Indigenous project partners.