Chemical Insights Research Institute Partners with Duke University and the East-West Center to Examine Dust and Ash from Devastating Hawaiian Wildfires
20 Mayo 2024 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Chemical Insights Research Institute (CIRI) of UL Research
Institutes applies cutting edge technologies to evaluate the
toxicity of burn-impacted land areas affected by the August 2023
Lahaina wildfires. Created with CIRI research partners from Duke
University and the East-West Center (EWC) in Hawai’i, the study
known as Lahaina Environmental Assessment Project (LEAP), will
collect and analyze residual dust, soil and ash samples from
properties affected by the fires. These residues, including fine
dust, can infiltrate schools, homes and office buildings and can
also be recirculated into the air. Exposure may contribute to acute
and chronic health concerns from inhalation of the dust or
ingestion from frequent hand to mouth transfer. Residues may also
contaminate the local ecosystem and wash into waterways.
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Illustration of a WUI fire plume
(Graphic: Business Wire)
CIRI is applying a combination of real-time and laboratory
analytical chemistry techniques with high-resolution environmental
sampling maps to determine the spatial relationships among the
locations, types, and levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
and metals associated with fire residues. Samples from over 60
properties in the fire-affected areas are being collected for
study. Information gained will contribute to scientific knowledge
on health risks of toxic residues left in the aftermath of wildland
urban interface (WUI) specific fires. Currently, there is little
data on this topic, yet WUI fires are exponentially growing,
adversely affecting local communities and extended regions.
“An understanding of these risks is critical to mitigating
people exposure and developing community clean up and land reuse
strategies,” said Dr. Marilyn Black, VP and Senior Technical
Advisor for CIRI, who also co-authored the National Academy’s
report titled, The Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland-Urban
Interface. “CIRI’s scientific advances with the assistance of its
research partners at Duke and EWC will help unravel the
complexities of WUI fires, the fate of resulting contamination, and
steps for protecting public health.”
“With more than 4,500 households displaced by the fires, the
likely contamination of the soil, water, and air is also an
important factor in the rebuilding process from a public health
perspective,” according to Dr. Sumeet Saksena, Senior Fellow at the
East-West Center. “We are working to identify sources on the
properties that may have led to unique contamination when they
burned, such as vehicles, solar panels, and home appliances.”
Analysis of the samples will be done in CIRI’s Center for
Advanced Measurements in Marietta, Georgia. CIRI will use its newly
developed environmental Dust VOC (DVOC)™ methodology to analyze a
wide range of VOCs in one sample with detection in the
parts-per-trillion level. Preliminary evaluations of Maui burn
residue using CIRI’s methodology have identified over 500 different
VOCs that can be assessed for health concerns. Preliminary analyses
of the residue samples also found the presence of metals of concern
including arsenic, lead, chromium and lithium.
CIRI’s research plan can be reviewed here.
About Chemical Insights Research Institute:
Chemical Insights Research Institute (CIRI) of UL Research
Institutes is a nonprofit organization dedicated to scientific
research, publication, education, and communication on
environmental exposures resulting from technologies and practices,
their impact on human health, and processes for reducing health
risks. CIRI provides actionable data and resources to help
manufacturers, educators, healthcare providers, and consumers make
informed environmental health decisions and risk reduction
strategies for the protection of human health.
About UL Research Institutes
UL Research Institutes is a nonprofit research organization
dedicated to advancing public safety through scientific discovery.
Since 1894, our research has advanced our mission toward a safer,
more secure, and sustainable future. Focused on global risks from
fire mitigation and air quality to safe energy storage and digital
privacy, we conduct rigorous independent research, analyze safety
data and partner with experts to uncover and act on existing and
emerging risks to human safety.
About East-West Center
The East-West Center was established by the United States
Congress in 1960 as a national educational institution to foster
better relations and understanding among the peoples of the United
States, Asia, and the Pacific islands through programs of
cooperative study, training, and research.
About Duke University Exposure Biology and Chemistry (EBC)
Lab
The Exposure Biology and Chemistry Laboratory at Duke University
is located at the Nicholas School of the Environment Levine Science
Research Center (LSRC) building and hosts 1,100 sq ft of wet
laboratory space for the analysis of environmental and biological
samples. EBC Lab, directed by Prof. Jim Zhang who is a collaborator
on the LEAP study, develops novel biomarkers of environmental
exposures and supports research that assesses pathophysiological
changes caused by environmental exposures. Laboratory site:
http://sites.globalhealth.duke.edu/ebclab.
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Bert Kelly Chemical Insights Research Institute
Bert.kelly@ul.org
Derek Ferrar East-West Center ferrard@eastwestcenter.org