Heavy Metals, and where they are in relation to your children?
Ingested some soil and something doesn't feel right? Call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222
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Or visit online Poison.org
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Happen to live in a possibly effected area? Check out the Washington State EPA!
Source: By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25949108
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Figure 1. Pierce county has been haunted by the legacy of the Asarco Smelter. (historically located in Point Ruston) Data from soil samples around Pierce county shown in a continuous (raster) format tell us that the highest concentrations of toxic substances including arsenic and lead divided by the areas most dense with children under the age of ten (most likely to eat dirt) tend to be around and down wind of the location of the Asarco smelter.
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Using several methods including Inverse Data Weighted interpolation, kriging, and more, I came out with several raster layers for each aspect of the project I am analyzing including; arsenic and lead surface soil levels taken from 2 and 6 inch depths, and children age 10 and under from census data. With multiple raster layers I used the raster calculator process within ArcMap, to arrive at the above analysis of toxic remediation which essentially shows the need for remediation of arsenic and lead based on the highest concentrations of children 10 years of age or younger.
According to the FDA Arsenic has had apparent ties to various forms of cancer and heart disease if the subject has had long term exposure. However it is also found that small infrequent ingestion of Arsenic does not linger in the body and can expel itself in a day or two.
Figure 2. Arsenic concentrations found in surface soils throughout Pierce County.
According to the FDA Lead is especially harmful to vulnerable populations including young children however it is poisonous to any person of any age. Its effects are strongly correlated with developmental issues specifically with brain and nervous system development.
Figure 3. Lead Concentrations found in surface soils throughout Pierce County.
Figure 4. Current EPA restoration sites. Most of the sites displayed are categorized as one or another type of oil spill or oil cleanup. Also displayed are concentrations of children ages 10 or under. Using reclassification of census data divided by sq. mile to arrive at the above density.
