A geospatial environmental concentrations database of Oklahoma, United States

Abstract

Environmental factors can affect human health throughout the lifespan. Reliable and accurate data are needed to understand and establish relationships between environmental factors and health outcomes. In this article, spatiotemporal data (across time and space) on environmental concentrations were compiled in a database for the State of Oklahoma, United States. Data were collected from local, state, and federal government agencies, and organized into a metadata document, which includes spatial extent (information on the area covered), attributes (i.e., variables such as chemical concentration), and temporal extent (time period) of the dataset, among others. Data have been cataloged for concentrations found in water (n = 53 files), air (n = 15 files), land (n = 7 files), and industry (n = 3 files). Data also included physical characteristics (i.e., data on location, geology, and features of waterways, watersheds, and lakes, among others, n = 31 files) and administrative datasets (i.e., data on location and distribution of county boundaries and tribal statistical areas and reservations for federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma, n = 4 files). The main result is a collection of a wide range of spatially-resolved concentration data. This spatiotemporal database will assist in future epidemiologic investigations and assessment of the geographic and temporal distribution of environmental exposures in Oklahoma. Keywords: Environmental concentrations, Geographic information systems, Oklahoma, Spatiotemporal distribution