Soil contamination by environmentally persistent free radicals and dioxins following train derailment in East Palestine, OH

Abstract

The Norfolk Southern train derailment on February 3, 2023, in East Palestine, Ohio, prompted concerns about the health impacts from the chemical spills and open-air combustion. We hypothesize that the combustion of chemicals, including vinyl chloride, in the presence of transition-metal oxides from the train, tracks, and soil minerals were conducive to the formation of hazardous byproducts including environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs), dioxins, and furans. We also hypothesize that these harmful byproducts of combustion have a shared origin and thus will have elevated concentrations in soil samples collected close to the derailment site when compared to concentrations in background soils. This study examined the co-occurrence of these soil contaminants from samples collected August 14–17, 2023, within a two-mile radius of the incident site to assess the concentration of EPFRs, dioxins, and furans. We measured elevated levels of EPFRs (average: 3.00 × 10¹⁷ spins per g) and dioxin/furan toxic equivalence (TEQ) (average: 32.8 pg g⁻¹) near the derailment area compared to background levels (EPFRs: 1.33 × 10¹⁷ spins per g; TEQ: 10.7 pg g⁻¹). Significant positive correlations (p < 0.002) between EPFRs and specific dioxin/furan congener concentrations (0.63–0.74) indicated robust associations between EPFRs and dioxin/furan congeners, the first such observations in field-collected soil samples. These results highlight the environmental health impact of the derailment and associated combustion, underscoring the need for comprehensive longitudinal monitoring and remediation efforts in the affected area and similar industrial accident sites. This study also offers insights into the formation mechanisms and persistence of EPFRs, dioxins, and furans.