Catalano: Assessing Urban Soil Lead Risk

Research Focus

Soils in urban environments have accumulated substantial quantities of lead due to the use of lead paint on buildings and leaded gasoline in vehicles. Lead in urban soils is often transported indoors, where it becomes dust that is ingested, causing elevated blood lead levels in urban residents. Urban soils represent a major lead exposure source for children. The content and distribution of soil lead in the City of St. Louis are largely uncharacterized, despite residents in many neighborhoods having elevated blood lead levels. Additionally, the tornado in May 2025 through St. Louis disturbed many buildings, potentially releasing lead-bearing materials. Subsequent building demolitions may introduce additional lead-bearing dust to these urban soils. This project will sample soils from commercial and residential lots in the City of St. Louis, process these samples in a laboratory, and measure the soil lead content to assess the overall soil lead hazard and the impact of the May 2025 tornado.

Skills, Techniques, Methods

In this summer project, the student participant will learn:

• Sampling soils, including documenting location with precise GPS coordinates.
• Laboratory methods in soil sample processing and analysis.
• X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for measuring lead concentrations in soil.
• Data processing and presentation, including basic geospatial visualization.
• Communicating the results of the research in written and oral formats, including to community members.

Research Conditions

This research involves a mixture of field and laboratory activities, with supporting time in the office for data analysis and preparation of presentations. Field work will involve sampling soils at commercial and residential lots in the City of St. Louis under the supervision of a research scientist. Laboratory work will involve sample processing and analysis. Students will be required to complete safety training prior to all work, and will need to work outside in hot weather as well in a laboratory that houses chemical. Personal protective and safety equipment will be provided by the project team.

Team Structure and Opportunities

Our research team includes a research scientist, doctoral students, and undergraduate students. For this project, the summer undergraduate researcher will work under the supervision of research scientist Dr. Elaine Flynn, with supplemental supervision by graduate students in the group. The student will meet biweekly with Prof. Jeff Catalano, and will be invited to participate in an end-of-summer group research symposium.

Requirements

Prior completion of college-level chemistry. The ideal student will have been exposed to key concepts in environmental science, earth science, ecology, or public health in their initial coursework. Experience working in a laboratory or with GIS is helpful but not required.