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From the Community to the Laboratory: Field Research to Advance Student Learning
Author(s) -
Guerrier Richardson,
Doherty Cathleen,
Smith L. Cody,
Pivnick Elyse,
Aleksunes Lauren,
Buckley Brian,
Laskin Debra
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2019.33.1_supplement.598.22
Subject(s) - outreach , sample (material) , geography , environmental chemistry , environmental science , psychology , chemistry , political science , law , chromatography
Fieldwork is an integral component of learning science, but is often overlooked while performing laboratory research. During the summer, a community outreach project for undergraduate students to learn about exposure to heave metals was developed. Together with 12 undergraduate students and faculty who are members of the Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, we selected and visited four sampling sites in Trenton, NJ, a community that has long industry history and concerns regarding the consequences of heavy metal contamination. The purpose of this Frontiers in Physiology Research Teacher activity was to evaluate soil and street dust levels of lead (Pb), which affects the central nervous system and may lead to development delays in children. Four teams of students, postdocs, teachers (high school and middle school) and a member of Isles, Inc., a New Jersey based community development and environmental organization collected street dust and soil at a former smelter, an abandoned park and children playground. Each team kept field notes on sample characteristics and drew maps of each sample location with proximity to roads, schools, and public parks. Upon return to the laboratory, samples of street dust and soil were dissolved in acids, vented, centrifuged, and microwaved to extract heavy metals. ICP‐MS analysis revealed widespread elevated Pb levels (>125 ppm) above naturally occurring levels (~10–50 ppm) throughout the study region. Mean Pb levels in soil were 155 ppm (range: 19–566 ppm, n=24) and dust, 125 ppm (range: 14–533 ppm, n=22). The highest levels of Pb (>500 ppm) were observed in in land around the former Magic Marker/Philco Battery site. Participants rated the activity highly (mean rating = 4.0, SD 0.6) on a Likert scale of 1–5. Overall, fieldwork provides an opportunity for students and teachers to participate in relevant research and assist a community. Support or Funding Information Supported by the APS, SOT Intern Program, R25ES020721, P30ES005022, and T32007148 This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .