M3.4 Air Pollution

I found the article Air pollution alters function, worsens asthma symptoms most interesting. The author describes a study conducted by researchers at Stanford University and UC Berkeley. The study  compared 181 children with and without asthma from Fresno and Palo Alto. Fresno, which is located in Central California is known to have one of the highest levels of air pollution.  The researchers found that chemicals in the air suppresses regulatory T cells. Regulatory T cells maintain a tolerance to non-pathogenic substances and prevent autoimmune disease. When these cells are suppressed they fail to block the inflammatory responses, similar to those responses caused by asthma. The researchers found that children in Fresno had lower levels of Treg cells compared to those children in Palo Alto. They concluded that air pollutants alter T cell functions which explains the high number of children with asthma is cities like Fresno.

I live in the City of Woodland which is part of Yolo County. 

Who and what are the top polluters in your zip code?

In 2002, Yolo county ranked among the dirtier 30% of all counties in the U.S. The top three polluters were Truck Accessories Group, releasing 112,864 pounds of pollutants, Farmers Rice Co-op with 13,909 pounds, and Equilon West Sacramento Terminal with 10,000 pounds.  The major pollutants included styrene (carcinogen, organ toxicant, reproductive toxicant), toluene (developmental toxicant), and p-xylene (developmental, organ & reproductive toxicant). 

What percent of the homes in your zipcode have lead-based paint?
In Yolo county, 2% of the houses have a high risk for lead. 

Are there Superfund sites in your zip?  (In your BLOG, make sure to tell us what a Superfund Site is)
A Superfund site is a specific location in the U.S that are polluted with hazardous materials. Yolo county has 2 Superfund sites located in the city of Davis; Frontier Fertilizer and Old Campus landfill. 

What can you tell us about the Superfund sites that are near where you live?
These sites have been known to contaminate the water in the surrounding area. For example, ground water has been contaminated with DBCP (carcinogen and reproductive toxicant), 1,2-dibromomethane (carcinogen and developmental toxicant), 1,2-dichloropropane (carcinogen), and disulfoton (developmental toxicant). 


What did you learn about the air quality in your zipcode?
In 1999, Yolo County ranked among the dirtiest 10% of all counties in the U.S. The top pollutants contributing the quality of air include; carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, PM, and sulfur dioxide emissions. In Yolo County, 83% of the days are considered to have good air quality and 17% of the days are considered to have moderate air quality. 

How about the water quality?
Yolo County contains a portion of 3 watersheds; 19% have been reported to have problems. The top pollutants of ground water include; pesticides, mercury, metals, and salinity/TDS/chlorides. Agriculture is the leading source of pollutants. 


How did your zipcode fair on a social justice / environmental justice basis?
The distribution of burden based on race/ethnicity is set to be equal among people of color and whites. A discrepancy of superfund sites exist among low income and high-income families; .071 sites per square milelow-incomencome familieis compare to .016 sites per square mile among high income families.