Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
applied fields. A distance buffer was again generated, but for Greene County this
buffer was set up from the edges of applied fields. The control households were then
located more than 1 mile but less than three miles from the applied fields, matching
the distances used in Wood County.
10.5.1 Conclusions and Future Directions
The results showed that there is some statistical correlation between illness and
proximity to permitted biosolids fields in Wood County, Ohio, but it does not show
a cause and effect relationship between biosolids applications to farm fields and
illnesses. More work is need to further refine the epidemiological health survey
data, including spatial analysis. In our study, counties that were surveyed prior to
obtaining the application data will be evaluated using the obtained historical appli-
cation data for a focus on biosolids applied fields, in addition to permitted fields.
Application reports from WWTPs have generally been archived. Often WWTPs
retain specific application information including heavy metals including arsenic,
cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, zinc and nutrients
including phosphorus and nitrates (Figs.
10.10
and
10.11
). Comparison of the survey
responses with application data has the potential to clarify the potential cause and
effect relationship between biosolids and illnesses. These steps will allow for further
examination of potential environmental exposure to contaminants from biosolids
and relationships to human health effects.
Acknowledgments
Funding for this work was provided by the
United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)
Program under Grant Nos. 2004-06227, 2005-06223, 2006-06255.
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