Assessing Unequal Airborne Exposure to Lead Associated With Race in the USA

Recent research applied the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Chemical Speciation Network and Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments monitoring stations and observed that mean concentrations of atmospheric lead (Pb) in highly segregated counties are a factor of 5 higher than in well‐integrated counties and argument is made that regulation of existing airborne Pb emissions will reduce children's Pb exposure. We argue that one of the main sources of children's current Pb exposure is from resuspension of legacy Pb in soil dust and that the racial disparity of Pb exposure is associated with Pb‐contaminated community soils. Plain Language Summary Some researchers propose that current Pb emissions explain the continuing exposure problem of metals in the air. The implication is that new regulations on current emissions of metals in the air will curtail exposure. The focus here is on soil Pb and we propose that soils became Pb‐contaminated from massive amounts of leaded gasoline and the deterioration of exterior lead‐based paints which has burdened communities with a legacy of Pb‐contamination, especially within traffic‐congested inner‐city communities. Urban soil Pb mapping provides a clear understanding of the Pb contamination burden of various communities. Because of the invisibility of Pb dust in the air and the soil, city soil Pb mapping assists with visualizing the underrecognized issue, and the environmental racial justice issues of excessive Pb contamination affecting citizens' health living within various community environments. Key Points Legacy sources of soil metal toxicants are underrecognized Soil lead, blood lead, and Race are inextricably associated Environmental inequities impact the disparities in racial health and life expectancy