Spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminants after Hurricane Harvey in a Houston neighborhood

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the presence, distribution, and potential human health implications of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a residential neighborhood of Houston, Texas following a major hurricane. Hurricane Harvey made landfall along the Texas Gulf Coast as a Category 4 hurricane on August 25, 2017, producing unprecedented precipitation that devastated coastal areas. Catastrophic flooding in the City of Houston inundated industrial and residential properties resulting in the displacement and transfer of soil, sediment, and debris and heightening existing environmental justice (EJ) concerns.

The findings in this study demonstrate the need for finer scale testing to assess how PAHs are dispersed after hurricanes and floods. With 9 of the 40 samples containing concentrations above the minimum standard for increased cancer risks, this study provides evidence of the need for site specific risk assessment in EJ communities who are inequitably exposed to both environmental pollutants and natural disasters. More baseline data and best practices are needed to move forward more interdisciplinary, community-engaged research in EJ and other vulnerable communities that will experience more major flooding events in the decades to come.