ScienceDaily (Feb. 3, 2009) — Post-Katrina flooded homes may contain harmful levels of contaminants in addition to sediment deposits. Indoor gases, mold films, and aerosols may also have exposed residents, first responders, and demolition crews to dangerous contaminant levels without the need for direct skin contact, according to a modeling study.

The research is published in the April 2009 issue (Volume 26, Number 3) of Environmental Engineering Science, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

The model published by Nicholas Ashley, Kalliat Valsaraj, and Louis Thibodeaux, from Louisiana State University, in Baton Rouge, details the possible types and levels of volatile and semi-volatile organic pollutants that might be present in the multiple indoor phases, or MIPs, inside Katrina-flooded homes. These include hazardous chemicals present in the inhalable vapor phase, in mold films, or in aerosolized spores.

The study, entitled, "Multiphase Contaminant Distributions Inside Flooded Homes in New Orleans, Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina: A Modeling Study," concludes that these newly identified inhalation exposure routes could present a significant health risk to persons who simply walk inside and breathe the air in contaminated homes, even if there is no dermal contact with the sediment covering the floors or the mold growing on the walls and other surfaces.

"This is an excellent and important study by one of the top research teams in the nation. It will help us better prepare first responders for the additional risks that may be posed by such events," according to Domenico Grasso, PhD, Editor-in-Chief and Dean and Professor in the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Vermont (Burlington).

Journal reference:

1. Nicholas A. Ashley, Kalliat T. Valsaraj, Louis J. Thibodeaux. Multiphase Contaminant Distributions Inside Flooded Homes In New Orleans, Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina: A Modeling Study. Environmental Engineering Science, February 2009 DOI: 10.1089/ees.2008.0095

Related Stories

Katrina-flooded Homes May Contain Harmful Levels Of Contaminants (Feb. 5, 2009) — Katrina-flooded homes may contain harmful levels of contaminants, particularly aerosols and gases, which could expose first-responders, residents and any others entering such homes to serious and ...  > read more

Moving Ahead With Guidelines To Control Indoor Mold Contamination (July 5, 2007) — Amid growing public concern about mold contamination of homes and its associated health effects, a new study is recommending policy approaches for controlling mold in homes that could be used on ...  > read more

Household Levels Of Mold Following Hurricane Katrina Surpass Some Agricultural Environments (Sep. 25, 2006) — In a study assessing flood clean-up procedures in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, a team of scientists led by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, report ...  > read more

Concentrations Of Certain Toxins In Breast Milk Are Low, Study Finds (Feb. 14, 2007) — Nursing mothers worried about passing harmful chemicals to their infants through breast milk should be aware that the air inside their home may pose a greater health risk. Researchers from Ohio State ...  > read more

Search ScienceDaily

Is Your Drinking Water Contaminated?