Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42086907›Full record

ArticleJournal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology2026

Changes in community members' toenail metal concentrations after cessation of nearby open-burn thermal treatment of munitions waste.

Myron L Lard, Chuqi Guo, Qingzhao Yu, Thomas Blanchard, Brenda Vallee, Wilma Subra, Oluwafeyikemi Ogunmusi, Stephania A Cormier, Jennifer Richmond-Bryant

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Myron L LardDepartment of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Chuqi GuoDepartment of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Qingzhao YuLouisisana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA.
Thomas BlanchardDepartment of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
Brenda ValleeCentral Louisiana Coalition for a Clean and Healthy Environment, Colfax, LA, USA.
Wilma SubraSubra Company, New Iberia, LA, USA.
Oluwafeyikemi OgunmusiDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Louisiana State University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
Stephania A CormierDepartment of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University and A&M College, and Pennington Biomedical Research Institute, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
Jennifer Richmond-BryantDepartment of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. Jrbryan@ncsu.edu.

Funding

Role of microbiota in increased influenza severity due to particulate matter exposureP42ES013648 · NIEHS · LOUISIANA STATE UNIV A&M COL BATON ROUGE · PI LOMNICKI, SLAWO M · 2009 to 2024
$27.6M
Translational Research Support CoreP30ES025128 · NIEHS · NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH · PI Sue Fenton · 2015 to 2026
$18.3M
Changes in Exposures to PFAS, Metals, Dioxins, and Furans following Cessation of Open Burning of Munitions Wastes at a Hazardous Waste Thermal Treatment FacilityR21ES036500 · NIEHS · NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH · PI RICHMOND-BRYANT, JENNIFER · 2024 to 2025
$427k
NIEHS NIH HHS P30 ES025128NIEHS NIH HHS P42 ES013648NIEHS NIH HHS R21 ES036500
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundColfax, LA, is a rural, predominantly minority community, where an open-burn/open-detonation (OB/OD) hazardous waste thermal treatment (TT) facility operated until December 2023.

objectiveThis study aimed to identify the presence of metals in the toenails of Colfax residents before and after cessation of OB/OD.

methodsToenail samples were collected from community members in 2023-2024 (during facility operation) and 2025 (post-cessation) at locations near ( < 7.5 km) and far ( > 7.5 km) from the facility.

resultsElevated levels of heavy metals, including lead, were observed in 2023-2024, with generally lower concentrations in 2025. Statistically significant decreases were observed for molybdenum, nickel, and lead after OB/OD ceased. In the 2023-2024 collection, samples obtained closer to the facility were more likely to have elevated levels of aluminium, iron, nickel, and lead. SIGNIFICANCE: Exposure to OB/OD likely contributed to increased metal body burden among Colfax residents. Results suggest cessation of operations reduced community exposures to heavy metals. IMPACT: Open-burn/open-detonation (OB/OD) hazardous waste thermal treatment poses risk of exposure to toxic contaminants, including heavy metals, environmentally persistent free radicals, dioxins, and furans. We measured changes in toenail concentrations of heavy metals while an OB/OD facility was in operation and again 15 months after cessation. Our data suggests that cessation of OB/OD results in decreased exposure and reduced body burden for some toxic metals, including lead, aluminium, iron, and nickel.

Indexed as

Environmental ExposureHazardous WasteMetals, HeavyNailsCaliforniaEnvironmental MonitoringHumansOpen Waste BurningHazardous WasteMetals, HeavyExposure assessmentHazardous wasteHeavy metalsMunitionsOpen-burn/open-detonation thermal treatmentToenail analysis

Identifiers

PMID42086907
PMCPMC13502313

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.