CHED 850 |
| Lindsey S. Scott, Denae King, Richard Hajek, Renard L. Thomas, and Lovell Jones. |
| A safe drinking water supply is a high priority issue for safeguarding the health and well being of humans. Fresno is a small unincorporated community with a racial/ethnic makeup of 50% Hispanic/Latino, 27% African American, and 22% White Non Hispanic. Preliminary data from key informants and focus groups suggest residential concerns with the quality of their drinking water. In order to address the concerns of the residents, an environmental justice study was put into action through community based participatory research. The purpose of this study was to determine if the Fresno Community residents are at risk of exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and trace metals through the utilization of their drinking water. Samples were collected from 10 residents in the Fresno community: 5 residents whose source of water was a private well, and 5 residents whose source of water was the Municipal Utility District (MUD) system. Each sample was obtained from the residents' kitchen faucet according to EPA Method 524.2 for VOCs and 200.8 for trace metals. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry were used to analyze the VOCs and trace metals, respectively. VOCs bromochloronitromethane, tribromomethane, and methylene chloride, disinfection by-products (DBPs) were detected in the drinking water at unacceptable levels from MUD System Sources. Specifically, methylene chloride exceeded the EPA's Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) in three of the MUD System Sources. VOCs were not detected in the drinking water of residents who had private wells. The trace metals detected in the drinking water did not exceed the MCLs set by the EPA. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Environmental Chemistry
2:00 PM-4:00 PM, Monday, 27 March 2006 Georgia World Congress Center -- Ex. Hall B4, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |