Researchers at Stanford have identified that California wildfires, especially the Eaton Fire, transform soil elements into toxic metals such as chromium 6. As wildfires transition from wildland to urban environments, contaminants shift to include lead and beryllium. Lead poses the highest toxicity risk, while beryllium, released from commercial metals, has become a growing concern. Additionally, these metals are not confined to the ground, as they are also present in particulate matter carried by smoke, which can travel long distances, affecting air quality and health.
As the Eaton Fire transitioned from wildland to urban areas, researchers observed a shift in contaminants, highlighting the transformation of chromium into toxic chromium 6 and the emergence of lead and beryllium in populated regions.
Lead, which has the highest concentration and toxicity compared to other metals, poses significant risks, but the newly identified beryllium presents another emerging concern due to its presence in commercial metals melted by the wildfire heat.
Collection
[
|
...
]