Numerous public health concerns have arisen in the Gulf Coast areas impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Among these are: (1) Discharge of contaminated floodwaters into Lake Pontchartrain, (2) contaminated drinking water, (3) wastewater treatment, (4) contaminated soils and sediments, and (5) mold in flooded homes. Funding provided by the National Science Foundation SGER program has enabled three universities (Hawaii, Miami, and LSU) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute to investigate the extent of problems associated with pathogenic organisms in New Orleans floodwaters and Lake Pontchartrain. These studies have targeted traditional fecal indicator organisms as well as pathogenic viruses, protozoa, and bacteria. Several federal agencies (e.g., EPA, USGS) have reported results based on indicator organism counts. Because of its inclusion of estimates of both indicator organisms and human pathogens, the NSF SGER work is unique among ongoing monitoring studies.
Presenter:
Edward A. Laws, P.h.D.
Director, Pacific Research Center for Marine Biomedicine,
University of Hawaii
Dean, School of the Coast and Environment,
Louisiana State University
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
11:00 a.m.
Pacific Ocean Science & Technology Building 723
Refreshments will be served after the seminar in POST 121
The Pacific Research Center for Marine Biomedicine (PRCMB) is a newly established center at the University of Hawaii dedicated to trans-disciplinary research designed to gain new knowledge about the profound impacts of the ocean on human health. The Center is funded by the National Science Foundation (OCE04-32479) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (P50ES012740).
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