Reference no: EM133063648

Case study: "Katrina's Troubled Waters: The Rescue Worker's Dilemma" NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE

Katrina's Troubled Waters: The Rescue Worker's Dilemma by Lynn M. Diener, Biology Department, Mount Mary College, Milwaukee, WI

Part I - Concerns

As a rescue worker in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, Patty was expected to go from house to house looking for stranded fl ood survivors. She was part of a boat rescue team and spent much of her time on the boat, but also had to wade through the water from time to time to assist people who had trouble walking or were afraid of crossing through the water on their own to get to the boat. Patty had some concerns about being a rescue worker and was considering quitting her job.

Questions

1. If you were Patty, what concerns would you have about being a rescue worker?

2. Are any of your concerns health-related? Order your health-related concerns from highest concern to lowest.

3. How many of these concerns exist only in the fl ood conditions present in New Orleans right after Hurricane Katrina?

NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE "Katrina's Troubled Waters" by Lynn M. Diener Page 2 Part II - Lead Patty's boss told her that scientists had done tests and a number of toxins and pathogenic bacteria were found in the fl ood waters. Exposure to any of the toxins or bacteria has the potential to lead to illness in the stranded New Orleans residents or the rescue workers trying to transport them to safer locations. One toxin found at levels higher in the fl ood water than those deemed safe for drinking water was lead (Pb). Lead (Pb), a heavy metal with a molecular weight of 207 g/mole, is a central nervous system toxin. Especially dangerous for young children, it can cause learning disabilities. It also has been linked to nausea, abdominal pain, irritability, insomnia, excess lethargy or hyperactivity, headache, gastrointestinal problems, and anemia. More serious symptoms include seizure and coma. Current uses of lead include batteries, ceramic glazes, projectiles for fi rearms, radiation shielding, solder, electrodes, etc. Past uses include paint pigment, plumbing pipes, and leaded gasoline Questions 1. What are some possible sources for the lead in the fl ood water? 2. How could you determine where the lead comes from? 3. What populations/individuals are at the highest risk from the lead in the fl ood waters and why? NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE "Katrina's Troubled Waters" by Lynn M. Diener Page 3 • Photo of New Orleans, La., September 2, 2005, by Jocelyn Augustina/FEMA, https://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_details.do?id=19181, public domain. Photo of lead ore obtained whom Wikimedia Commons at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LeadOreUSGOV.jpg where the image is identifi ed as a public domain work from the "Minerals in Your World" project, a cooperative eff ort between the United States Geological Survey and the Mineral Information Institute, Case copyright held by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, University at Buff alo, State University of New York. Originally published December 20, 2011. Please see our usage guidelines, which outline our policy concerning permissible reproduction of this work. Part III - Soil Patty found research suggesting that the main source of lead was from the soil. Concentrations of lead were found to be 150 to 800 times more concentrated in the top 0.025 mm of soil than acceptable based on guidelines set out by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She also discovered that the primary route of exposure for lead is oral, with small contributions from inhalation and skin absorption.

Questions

1. What are some reasons why the concentration of lead is so high in New Orleans soil?

2. Would you expect a difference between New Orleans and New York City soil?

3. Would you expect a difference between New Orleans and the soil in a very small, rural town?

4. What precautions could Patty take to minimize her exposure to lead?

5. Should Patty stay and help the rescue eff ort or should she quit her job?