Name: Angela Devenberg Organization: Western Oregon University

1. 3. Medical Geology: Example Applications and Research Directives By Angela Devenberg Western Oregon University CASE STUDIES INTRODUCTION ABSTRACT Bangladesh and surrounding areas are highly contaminated with arsenic in the drinking water. Millions have been affected with skin disease and disorders. Mt. Eyjafjallajokull, Iceland, recently erupted producing lots of ash. Sulfur dioxide was released posing potential health issues as well as fluoride. Fluoride will cause contamination in the water and threaten the livestock, especially sheep (Figure 8). Washougal, WA recently declared emergency due to high levels of radon gases in city buildings. Radon is the second leading cause for lung disease. Medical geology can affect humans and animals directly and indirectly. Examples include release of elemental constituents into the environment from geology sources. Arsenic, Molybdenum and Radon are a few of the compounds that pose health risks. These elements are found in drinking water and soil. Some of the health risks associated with these elements includes skin disease, reproductive problems, and lung cancer. Other phenomena include natural hazards like earthquakes and volcanoes, which may cause catastrophic deaths or long-term chronic health conditions. Geologic health hazards, from gas clouds to lahars, may cause a wide variety of health problems ranging from asthma to death. This paper will examine the spectrum of applications in the emerging field of medical geology. Geologists play an important role by recognizing what actions need to be taken to reduce and prevent the risks associated with geologic health hazards. Through educational outreach programs, geologists work to increase public awareness of environmental health issues. Medical Geology is defined as the science dealing with the relationship between geological factors and health problems in humans, animals and plants. Many of these elements are transferred through humans from food, water and the air we breathe. There are many different aliments that can be related to geology and some of these can be severe. Figure 4. Dust storm Sept. 2009 Sydney, Australia HEALTH PROBLEMS Health issues from the mentioned geologic processes range from moderate to severe problems. Soil, air and water contamination cause respiratory problems, lung issues and can even cause death. Other issues can be skin diseases, growth problems, and deformities. Dust and ash from volcanoes and earthquakes cause asthma, respiratory problems, lung issues, and death. These natural hazards can also cause landslides which have an affect on humans as well. The movement of the land can trigger different elements such as funguses to be airborne which would be inhaled and cause some serious lung and skin problems (Figure 7). Figure 2. Areas effected by heavy metals Figure 8. The eruption of Mt. Eyiafjallajokull in Iceland GEOLOGIC PROCESS • Soil, air and water are the direct essentials related to the health effects on animals and humans. Element and minerals are causing great health issues around the world: • Radon • Arsenic (Figure 5) • Selenium • Iodine (Figure 6) • Mercury • Lead • Natural hazards are also affecting humans and animals: • Dust Storms (Figure 4) • Earthquakes • Volcanoes • Flooding • Landslides Figure 9. Ways radon enters a house CONCLUSION Medical geology is an ancient study, but over the last few decades geologists have been studying the subject. Knowing what geologic processes, natural hazards and the affects they contribute to the world geologists can now learn ways to prevent such problems or minimize the severity of the health problems. Geologists are taking action with educational programs and have great opportunities to help the world in the field. Figure 5. Skin disease caused by drinking groundwater contaminated with arsenic Figure 6. Iodine deficiency Figure 1. Asthma CONTACT REFERENCES Name: Angela Devenberg Organization: Western Oregon University Email: abriggs06@wou.edu • Bowman et al., 2003, Medical Geology – New Relevance in the Earth Sciences, Episodes, v.26, no. 4, p. 270-278. • Dissanayake, 2005, Of stones and health – Medical geology in Sri Lanka: Science, v. 309, p. 883- 885 • Selinus, 2004, Medical Geology: an emerging speciality: Terrae, v. 1., p. 8-15 • Selinus et al., 2008, Medical Geology – A new future for geology: European Geologist • Wikipedia contributors. "2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 May. 2010. Web. 25 May. 2010 Figure 7. Valley fever caused by airborne funguses Figure 3. Animal deformity from water contamination