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Community-Oriented Strategies to Estimate Children's Soil and Dust Ingestion Rates and Exposure to Soil Heavy Metal and Metalloid in West Atlanta —
The goal of this project is to effectively understand and mitigate the current and possible future soil heavy metal and metalloid (HMM) and other chemical contaminant exposure among children in West Atlanta (also known as Westside) by better estimating children’s soil ingestion rates, using Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR).

Implementing Active-Learning Modules for Enhancing Environmental Education and Air Quality and Soil Contamination — Our project goal is to enhance environmental education, surrounding air quality and soil HMM pollution in Georgia, especially in West Atlanta. To meet this goal, we will develop year-long interactive activities on air quality and soil contamination in Atlanta that we will conduct and disseminate with our partners

door to door soil sampling

soil contamination projects

Heavy Metals and Metalloids

Phytoremediation

Our goal is to remediate the soil of lead and other heavy metals and decrease exposure to children in Atlanta. In order to accomplish this, we are using plants whose seeds are easily accessible to the community, grow well in Georgia, and are cost effective. We are currently growing plants for fall and winter, and will adjust plants as the seasons change.

Plants can "clean" soil by absorbing trace metals and metalloids, preventing harmful contaminants from leaking into nearby water sources, being kicked up into the air and/or being inhaled. Plants particularly good at extracting heavy metals are called hyperaccumulators (1). Some examples are sunflowers, kale, and carrots. 

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Priority Screening Index for Greater Atlanta Area Census Tracts in 2018 when the Reference Universe is Greater Atlanta
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Research

Our study results focused on heavy metal soil contamination in the Westside of Atlanta

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Level of concern of participants with potential health effects of hmm contaminants (a) and produce grown in their gardens (b).

Balotin et al., (2020) Atlanta Residents’ Knowledge Regarding Heavy Metal Exposures and Remediation in Urban Agriculture

Distler and Saikawa (2020) A New Screening Index to Better Target Low-Level Lead Exposure in Atlanta, Georgia
Additional Resources
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