Metal Project »

The Metals Project began in 2022 as a response to anecdotal community concerns and the Environmental Protection Agency’s documentation of disproportionate exposure to heavy metals (including mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic) in the Chicagoland area. Neighborhoods on the South and West side of Chicago are hypothesized to have higher levels of heavy metal pollution from sources such as highways, lead pipes, and industrial waste, which negatively affect human and environmental health.    Two hundred healthy volunteers were recruited at community events throughout Chicago, and participants agreed to provide buccal swabs and sociodemographic data in support of the research initiative. Analysis of the collected samples is underway by LLC bench scientists. Our team of Community Scientists have been critical to informing the design, implementation, recruitment, and dissemination activities necessary to safeguard the community centric emphasis for this project.

“The Community scientists affected the design of our study.  We had intended to collect DNA as well as buccal samples but they cautioned that this could be difficult in their community due to concerns about identifying people (immigrants, for example) based on DNA.  Because of their suggestions, we modified the project to include only buccal samples.  I’m convinced we had a positive response because of their input.  In addition, they suggested several places where we should go to collect samples and they were all good suggestions and successful.” – Gayle Woloschak, PhD (from Metals Project team)