Geospatial Mapping of the Lead Poisoning cases in the Capital District Project Proposal
Siena College, Department of Environmental Studies
Prepared By: Alyssa Endres
In collaboration with Dr. Jesse Karr, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Introduction:
Lead poisoning has been identified as one of the most common preventable health concerns in the U.S. Those afflicted by this illness can be found throughout all US neighborhoods and communities and are not isolated to one demographic class. The route of exposure may differ from case to case, but the most common sources of exposure are lead based paints, contaminated top-soil and dirt, and drinking water (Godwin, Silbergeld, CDC).
The prevalence of lead poisoning in the US is often overlooked. As of 2010, an estimated 310,000 children under the age of six in the U.S. were identified by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as having blood lead levels of concern (defined as having a blood lead level of 10 μg/dL or higher). In fact, here in NY State’s capital district, there are still neighborhoods that are identified by the NYS department of health as having residents with blood lead levels (BLLs) of concern (Bureau).
This project entails researching the number of diagnosed lead poisoning cases in the Capital District and New York City. Information from the EPA and local Department of Health agencies will be compiled. As an effective way of showing the significance and continual need for lead poisoning research the data will be used to create a geographical representation of those in the capital district affected by lead poisoning of both children and adults.
Objectives:
It is my goal is to create a clear, visually compelling, colored and black and white presentation quality maps that illustrate the number of lead poisoning cases by county in the Capital District of New York or otherwise determined from the data collected.
- Research the number of diagnosed lead poisoning cases in the Capital District and New York City using various data sources including the EPA and local Department of Health agencies
- Create a geospatial representation of the number of lead poisoning cases in the designated counties
This map will serve as an effective tool for showing the significance and continual need for lead poisoning research.
Methodology:
For this project I will be researching the number of diagnosed lead poisoning cases in the Capital District and New York City. Information will be gathered from the EPA and local Department of Health agencies. The data will then be prepared and entered as a text/ excel file onto the computer, and then entered into the Arc-GIS software. The information will then be manipulated if necessary and imported into an existing Arc-GIS shape file of political boundaries of the Capital District of New York and New York City. In addition to uploading the data collected, I will need to identify the number of lead poisoning cases within each of the counties and categorize them. This will be done using the statistical capabilities of Arc-GIS.
Work Plan:
- Week of February 26, 2012
- Meet with Dr. Karr to discuss project details
- Revised project proposal
- Begin research and contact agencies
- Update blog
- Week of March 4, 2012
- Add basemap to map
- Continue to research and compile data
- Enter data onto computer into excel spreadsheet or text file
- Update blog
- Week of March 11, 2012
- Import data into Arc-GIS and add to map
- Start the introduction, information blurbs, and layout of interpretation poster (if needed)
- Update blog
- Week of March 18, 2012
- Any information collected, compiled, drafted, and posted
- Update blog
- Week of March 25, 2012
- Present Dr. Karr with draft of final product
- Update blog
- Week of April 1, 2012
- Revise draft of map upon feedback from Dr. Karr
- Update blog
- Week of April 8, 2012
- Have important information about specific site features completed and finalized on interpretation poster (if needed)
- Continue editing on GIS map
- Send draft to Dr. Karr
- Week of April 15, 2012
- Complete final draft of interpretation poster
- Complete final draft of GIS map, finalized with legends, title, sources
- Week of April 22, 2012
- Professionalize maps
- Plan my presentation
Deliverables:
I will provide my client with a high resolution pdf, one in color and one in black and white of a map of the Capital District of New York and New York City detailing the number of lead poisoning cases by county or otherwise determined by the data collected. An extent indication map may also be provided detailing the location, giving the reader a relative location of the study location. A project blog will be compiled with weekly blog postings and updates.
Data Sources:
- Counties Shapefile of United States
- ESRI Data and Maps [DVD]. (2010) Redlands, CA: ESRI, Inc. [February, 2012]
- Imported data regarding diagnosed cases of lead poisoning
- Information collected
- EPA
- Local department of Health Agencies
- Godwin, H. A. (2001) The biological chemistry of lead, Curr Opin Chem Biol 5, 223-227.
- Silbergeld, E. K. (1992) Mechanisms of lead neurotoxicity, or looking beyond the lamppost, FASEB J 6, 3201-3206.
- CDC. (2005) Preventing Lead Poisoning in Young Children, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta.
- Bureau of Community Environmental Health and Food Protection (2009) NEW YORK STATE’S PRIMARY PREVENTION OF CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING PILOT PROGRAM: YEAR ONE IMPLEMENTION FINAL REPORT, NYS Department of Health, Albany, NY.
