Sediment Testing after Hurricane Ike

Analysis for Toxic Materials in Sediments from
Hurricane Ike in Galveston, TX

Following Hurricane Ike, a distinctly visible layer of sediment remained in many areas of the City of Galveston. With partners at St. Vincent’s House, the CEHD, the Sealy Center for Environmental Health, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center for Community Education Outreach Core collaborated to analyze this sediment for toxic substances.

Nine samples were collected from various sites from the east end of Galveston Island to around 81st Street. Locations were chosen on the basis of geographic diversity, proximity to industrial sites, socioeconomically diverse residential areas, and areas vulnerable to toxins washed ashore from Galveston Bay, the Galveston Channel, and the Houston Ship Channel. The sites included the East End Flats, Fish Village, 19th St. and Avenue F, 28th St. and Avenue F, 42nd St. and Avenue H, 57th St. and Avenue H, 55th St. and Avenue O, and Terminal Drive and 83rd St. Galveston Island, TX.

The sediment was analyzed for content of heavy metals (i.e. arsenic, chromium, cadmium, mercury, lead), dioxins, furans, PCBs, asbestos, sulfur compounds, diesel range organics, and semi-volatile organics. Click here to download results for individual sites. [doc]

The findings of this study are largely good news. No actionable levels of toxins were found in any of the samples collected from the nine sites, indicating that there were no large industrial releases of toxins during the storm.

However, levels of arsenic exceeded the EPA screening levels for six of the eight sites tested, and chromium and lead were found in several samples. Dioxin was elevated at one of the two sites tested. There were little or no detectable levels of PCBs, asbestos, sulfur compounds, diesel range organics, or semi-volatile organics.

Consistent detection of arsenic above EPA residential screening levels, as well as other metals at lower levels, raises some concerns, given Galveston’s pre-Ike burden of metals in the soil. Additional specific concerns include health disparities, exposure to children and vulnerable populations, sensitive land use and activities, and the impact of cumulative risk in a population already physically and mentally taxed by living in a post-disaster community.

Though no action was legally required according to our findings, we present several recommendations to assist in rebuilding a healthy Galveston with a strong community spirit for protecting our children and ensuring a clean environment. These include to:

• implement a public awareness and information campaign to support citizens in addressing their own concerns based on risk perceptions
• further investigate issues including illness related to sediment exposure; exposure of vulnerable populations; variations in the toxin levels and additional testing for dioxins and furans across the island; identification of most affected as well as sensitive land use areas; affordable sediment disposal methods; and potential sources of contamination as warranted;
• coordinate city services to reduce exposure, such as through cleaning sensitive land use areas and areas combining high levels of pedestrian traffic with higher toxin levels, as well as frequent spraying down of streets and sidewalks before public events; and
• develop a comprehensive disaster planning strategy and community education process at local and regional levels for reducing potential future exposure to and release of environmental toxins related to tropical weather events.

The project is working with Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (T.E.J.A.S.) to produce an educational video to guide other communities in undertaking similar endeavors in the fiture.

Trailer on Educational Video on Sediment Testing. The full Video should be freely available by May 2009. . [2 minutes, 4.6 MB]

Links:

• Documents
  • Statement of Project Findings to City Council, Jan 2009 [doc]
  • Analysis for Toxic Materials in Sediments from Hurricane Ike in Galveston, TX, Executive Summary and Full Report [pdf]
  • GCHD press release on response to sediment findings

• Presentations
  • Presentation of findings at WEACT Environmental Health Conference, New York, Jan 2009 [ppt, 12 MB]
  • Sediment Findings from Hurricane Ike [ppt, 19 MB]

• Media response
  • KHOU
  • Galveston Daily News: Study: Ike Did Not Leave Toxic Sludge

• Partners
  • NIEHS Center
  • Sealy Center for Environmental Health
  • GISD
  • GCHD
  • St Vincent’s House

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