Grantee Research Project Results

2023 Progress Report: Community-Driven Assessment of Environmental Health Risks in Vieques, Puerto Rico

EPA Grant Number: CR839978
Title: Community-Driven Assessment of Environmental Health Risks in Vieques, Puerto Rico
Investigators: Estrada-Martínez, Lorena , Scammell, Madeleine Kangsen , Chen, Robert F , Colón-Carmona, Adan , Poynton, Helen C , Linde-Arias, Ana Rosa , Negrón, Rosalyn , Raciti, Antonio , Díaz-Vázquez, Liz , Gómez-Márquez, Jose , Rivera, Lorna , Hamad-Schifferli, Kimberly
Institution: University of Massachusetts - Boston , Boston University , University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: May 1, 2020 through May 12, 2025
Project Period Covered by this Report: May 1, 2023 through April 30,2024
Project Amount: $800,000
RFA: Addressing Environmental Concerns in Vieques, Puerto Rico Through Community Participatory Research (2019) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Endocrine Disruptors , Human Health , Sustainable and Healthy Communities

Objective:

To establish exposure to multiple contaminants through person-centered environmental assessments that account for intersecting exposure pathways over time as determined through community input.
To establish a resident data monitoring and decision-making infrastructure through citizen science and participatory community engagement.
To develop a plant-based remediation system for soil metals and train community members to implement it at appropriate sites.

Progress Summary:

Phase I: Building CBPR Coalition. During Year 4, we conducted five virtual and one in-person CASC meetings where members determined the animal species for the ecological risk assessment, provided feedback on the human health assessment instruments and recruitment strategies, and discussed contingency plans for the contaminant assessment.

Phase IIA: Human Health Assessment. As of April 30, 2024, we have collected 73 interviews with cancer patients and 41 control interviews, showing significant progress in recruitment. We partnered with community organizations and utilized various recruitment methods. We also recruited and trained five Vieques residents for data collection and collaborated with UMass Boston's Fiske Center for Archeological Research team to design a database for vital participant data. We are refining training procedures based on early feedback.

Phase IIB: Ecological Risk Assessment. Sediment was collected from ten lagoons or shores on the island of Vieques, PR. Toxicity assessments showed high toxicity in many sediments. Gene expression analysis is ongoing. We also investigated bioaccumulation and adverse effects on resident species from Vieques due to long-term chemical exposure. We selected a sentinel species and conducted a sampling campaign to collect land crabs for analysis.

Phase III: Contaminant Assessment. In Year 2, we developed an Ampliblock sensor for Nickel and conducted a community workshop in Year 3. However, the contaminant risk assessment team has faced significant delays in Year 4 and is exploring additional possibilities.

Phase IV: Phytoremediation. We made significant progress in Aim 2 and Aim 3 by conducting experiments on plant growth and rhizosphere microbiome analysis. Data analysis is ongoing, and results are expected by the end of summer or fall 2024.

Future Activities:

Phase I: Building CBPR Coalition. Conduct 1-2 open community meetings between September 2024 and April 2025; update the webpage and Facebook page to reflect ongoing activities and results; and have quarterly CASC meetings (more as needed).

Phase IIA: Human Health Assessment. In preparation for Aim II.C, we will construct exposure diagrams based on preliminary data analyses and analyze cancer risk using logistic regression models. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will visually map potential exposure hotspots.

Phase IIB: Ecological Risk Assessment. We'll use RNAseq to analyze gene expression in collected species.

Phase III: Contaminant Assessment. We have secured funding to purchase a Handheld XRF for environmental screening and are planning a workshop to train community scientists on the technology and sampling protocols.

Phase IV: Phytoremediation. Soil from La Composta was collected and is used to grow plant species in pots. Preliminary data on these experiments is expected in the coming months.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 13 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR), Nanosensors, PPGIS, TIE, iceberg modeling, Ampli, bioremediation

Relevant Websites:

Vieques, Ambiente, Salud, y Acción Comunitaria (VASAC)

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.