Using Lichen Chemistry to Assess Airborne Tungsten and Cobalt in Fallon, Nevada

Overview

Journal Environ Monit Assess

Publisher Springer

Specialty Environmental Health

Date 2006 Nov 30

PMID 17131081

Citations 4

Authors

Paul R Sheppard

Robert J Speakman

Gary Ridenour

Mark L Witten

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This paper describes the use of lichen chemistry to assess airborne tungsten and cobalt in Fallon, Nevada, where a cluster of childhood leukemia has been on going since 1997. Lichens and their rock substrates were collected from Rattlesnake Hill within Fallon as well as from four different rock outcrops located north, east, south, and west of Fallon and at least 20 km away from the town center. In the lichens themselves, W and Co are significantly higher within Fallon than in the combined control site outside of Fallon. In the rock substrates of the lichens, no differences exist in W and Co. The W and Co differences in lichens cannot be attributed to substrate geochemistry. Fallon is distinctive in west central Nevada for high airborne W and Co, and given its cluster of childhood leukemia, it stands to reason that additional biomedical research is in order to test directly the leukogenicity of combined airborne W and Co.

Citing Articles

Tungstate adsorption onto Italian soils with different characteristics.

Petruzzelli G, Pedron F Environ Monit Assess. 2017; 189(8):379.

PMID: 28685371 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-017-6088-y.

Comparison of size and geography of airborne tungsten particles in Fallon, Nevada, and Sweet Home, Oregon, with implications for public health.

Sheppard P, Bierman B, Rhodes K, Ridenour G, Witten M J Environ Public Health. 2012; 2012:509458.

PMID: 22523506 PMC: 3317226. DOI: 10.1155/2012/509458.

Temporal variability of tungsten and cobalt in Fallon, Nevada.

Sheppard P, Speakman R, Ridenour G, Witten M Environ Health Perspect. 2007; 115(5):715-9.

PMID: 17520058 PMC: 1867993. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.9451.

Spatial patterns of tungsten and cobalt in surface dust of Fallon, Nevada.

Sheppard P, Speakman R, Ridenour G, Glascock M, Farris C, Witten M Environ Geochem Health. 2007; 29(5):405-12.

PMID: 17345005 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-007-9085-1.

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