New research from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Maui Wildfire Exposure Study, or MauiWES, finds that toxic metals lingered in Maui residents' bodies months after the August 2023 wildfires. The fires killed more than 100 people, destroyed thousands of homes, and caused billions in damage. The study, which analyzed urine samples from 1,400 adults, found concentrations of arsenic, barium, manganese, and antimony well above levels seen in a national health survey conducted before the fires.
Antimony, a metal used in flame retardants and linked to lung irritation and stomach pain, was found at levels nearly 40 times higher than the comparison group. Arsenic was 2.2 times higher, barium 2.3 times higher, and manganese 3.8 times higher. The researchers also found that more than 1 in 5 Maui residents had reduced lung function, and higher metal exposure was associated with impaired lung function.
The study cannot yet say how much of the contamination came from the fires versus what was already in the environment. Alika Maunakea, co-director of MauiWES, said wildfires that burn entire communities create a much more complicated exposure environment than smoke alone. The project has received a $3.6 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to investigate the sources of contamination, including past agricultural and industrial activity.
Noelani Ahia, co-founder of Maui Medic Healers Hui, which runs a free clinic in Lāhainā, said the catastrophe is far from over. "The fire may be out, but the catastrophe is not over by any stretch of the imagination," she said. The findings add to evidence that health consequences of wildfires can persist long after flames are extinguished. Because this is a single source, there are no differing viewpoints to compare. The source notes that researchers lack pre-fire baseline data for Maui residents, so the exact contribution of the fires remains unknown.Strict JSON only. Need ensure no trailing commas. Let's final{