Dr. Ramirez-Andreotta and Dr. Maier present UA SRC Research at the Iron King Mine - Humboldt Smelter Superfund Site
March 15, 2024
On March 15, 2024, Dr. Monica Ramirez-Andreotta, UA SRC Research Translation Principal Investigator, and Dr. Raina Maier, Associate Director and Project 5 Principal Investigator, traveled to Dewey-Humboldt, Ariz., to present a brief overview of UA SRC research to the Dewey-Humboldt Town Council.
Ramirez-Andreotta and Maier were invited by the town’s newly formed Environmental Committee to summarize all the work done by the UA SRC teams over the years at the Iron King Mine - Humboldt Smelter Superfund Site, especially in the context the proposed US Environmental Protections Agency remediation efforts for the site. There were over 25 engaged citizens present at this meeting, which was also broadcast via Zoom. Ramirez-Andreotta and Maier addressed questions from the audience and will follow up with topic-specific presentations into the future.
In March of 2008, the Iron King Mine Humboldt Smelter Superfund site in Dewey-Humboldt was added to the US EPA National Priorities List.
Ramírez-Andreotta was present at a US EPA meeting in August 2008 where members of the community asked whether it was safe to grow and consume vegetables from their garden. To answer this question, Ramírez-Andreotta, the UA SRC Research Translation Coordinator at the time, embarked on her doctoral career. In 2010, the Gardenroots study began.
Since then, the UA SRC has continued to conduct research in the area, and the following is a partial list of the UA SRC research projects focused on impacts of the Superfund site:
- Phytoremediation of Mine Tailings
- Gardenrooots in Dewey-Humboldt
- Project Harvest
- Metal Exposure Study in Homes (MESH)
- Prediction and properties of airborne dust arising from mining operations
- Voices Unheard - oral history project conducted in the area.