Toaddressthepotentialenvironmentalandhealthimplicationsofoildevelopmentinclose-proximity communityexposuresofvulnerablepopulations,weproposetostudyacommunityinLosAngelesCAinwhich anexistingintra-communityoildrillingfacility,dormantforseveralyears,isabouttoresumedrillingoperations. Priorsiteoperationshavebeenassociatedwithnumeroushealthandairqualitycomplaints,butthesitehas sinceundergoneremediation.Assortedpriorhealthandairqualityeffectshavenotbeensystematicallyand objectivelydocumentedascouldbeaccomplishedintheproposedstudydesign.Sixhundredcommunity residents(~200childrenaged5-17yrs,~200adultsaged18-45yrs,and~200olderadults>45yrs)willbe enrolledbycommunityhealthpromotorastoassessbothobjectiveandsubjectivehealthoutcomesina prospectiverepeated-measuresstudydesign.Ontwooccasions(oncepriortoandoncefollowingsitedrilling operations),participantswillperformmaximal-effortspirometry,completeself-administeredsymptomsurveys, andhaveassortedanthropomorphicdata(height,weight,bloodpressure)measuredtodocumenthealth status.Overthissametime-interval,bothactiveandpassiveairqualitysamplerswillbedeployedthroughout thecommunitytomeasureairbornelevelsofvolatileorganiccompounds(VOCs),H2S,andseveralpollutants ofregulatoryconcern(ozone,carbonmonoxide,nitrogendioxide).Aquality-of-lifemulti-daydiaryassessment willalsobecollectedonasubsetofthestudyparticipantpopulation.Thesemultiplepathwaysofdatawillbe collectedusingacommunity-basedparticipatoryresearchstrategy.Theprojectwillsubstantivelyengageand includethecommunitypartner(EsperanzaCommunityHousingCorporation)intoanacademicresearchteam ofinvestigators(ledbyUSCresearchers)toassesspotentialhealthandenvironmentalimpactsonthislargely LatinoLosAngelesneighborhood.Thisprojectwillevaluatetheimpactofoildrillingoperationsoncommunity healthbyrelatinghealthandairqualitymeasurementscollectedbeforeandafterresumptionofoildrilling operations.Thistime-sensitiveresearchopportunitywillprovidecredibledatatoaddresstheimpactofoil drillingoperationsontheenvironmentalhealthstatusofanunder-servedcommunityofcolorinoneofthe nation?slargestmetropolitanareas.
Urban oil drilling is increasingly becoming a common occurrence and has the potential release multiple air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds which can be harmful to human health. This project will take advantage of a natural experiment in South Los Angeles (the temporary shutdown of operations with a planned resumption of drilling activities) and provides a unique opportunity to objectively document the impact of urban oil drilling operations on the air quality and health of a community of color already stressed by issues of environmental injustice.
| Collier-Oxandale, Ashley; Coffey, Evan; Thorson, Jacob et al. (2018) Comparing Building and Neighborhood-Scale Variability of CO? and O? to Inform Deployment Considerations for Low-Cost Sensor System Use. Sensors (Basel) 18: |
