A University of Hawaii research team will use a $3.6 million NIH grant to study whether legacy agricultural pollutants — disturbed by the 2023 Maui wildfires — are causing ongoing health impacts for Hawaii residents. The five-year study will track 1,000 participants and test soil, water, and biological samples across four exposure groups.
- UH Manoa received a five-year, $3.6M NIH grant to investigate health effects of plantation-era contaminants such as arsenic, lead, and dioxins.
- The study builds on the existing Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES), launched after the 2023 Lahaina fires.
- Researchers believe the 2023 wildfires may have disturbed legacy pollutants in soil and older structures, spreading them via smoke, ash, and water.
- 1,000 Hawaii residents will be enrolled and monitored over five years for heart and lung health impacts.
- Older Hawaii homes may contain canec, a sugarcane-based building material historically associated with arsenic contamination.
Source: The Garden Island
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