Aerosolized Contaminants and Climate: An Overlooked Public Health Risk in South Florida
South Florida’s unique environmental conditions—high heat, persistent humidity, intense rainfall, and proximity to industrial agriculture—create a complex backdrop for environmental exposures. Yet, one critical intersection remains notably under-examined: how these climatic factors may amplify the health risks associated with aerosolized contaminants in stormwater holding areas, especially near agricultural zones like sugarcane farms.
While researchers have long studied stormwater runoff and wastewater treatment in general, the interaction between climate, bioremediation processes, and public health outcomes in Florida remains insufficiently addressed. Based on emerging literature and publicly available health data, this gap in understanding may have serious implications for respiratory, neurological, cardiovascular, and even oncological health in the region.
Climate-Driven Volatilization and Aerosolization
Florida’s hot and humid conditions are not just uncomfortable—they’re scientifically significant. Elevated temperatures are known to increase the volatilization of organic compounds and heavy metals from standing water (Zhai et al., 2020; Cheng et al., 2021). When paired with high humidity and heavy rainfall, these factors can increase the likelihood of chemical and microbial constituents becoming airborne.
While much of the existing literature on airborne pollutants focuses on industrialized or temperate regions, Florida’s stormwater infrastructure is exposed to a convergence of agricultural runoff, urban waste, and tropical conditions. This presents a plausible scenario where volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, antibiotics, and pathogenic microbes may be more readily aerosolized and dispersed into nearby communities—yet few studies directly examine this intersection.
Public Health Signals in South Florida
The regional health data paints a compelling picture. South Florida counties report higher-than-average rates of several chronic and acute illnesses—patterns that may reflect, in part, environmental exposure pathways.
Respiratory Illnesses
According to the Florida Department of Health (2021), counties like Miami-Dade reported bacterial pneumonia rates around 15.6 per 100,000—well above the national average of 9.7. This disparity may point to environmental exposure to aerosolized pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa or E. coli, which have been found in stormwater systems (Cheng et al., 2021; Rana & Bérubé, 2019).
These bacteria thrive in warm, nutrient-rich, oxygen-variable environments common in holding ponds used for stormwater retention and bioremediation. When aerosolized, they can enter the respiratory tract and present a risk to vulnerable populations.
Neurological Disorders and Neurotoxins
South Florida has also experienced elevated rates of neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease—up to 20% higher than national rates in some populations (Backer et al., 2019; Miller et al., 2023). Neurotoxic chemicals such as organophosphates, glyphosate, and chlorpyrifos, commonly used in sugarcane and other forms of agriculture, are known to be present in runoff. When combined with Florida’s climatic factors, these compounds may be inhaled over time in small but biologically relevant doses.
Zhai et al. (2020) demonstrated that aerosolized toxins—even those originating from algal blooms—can accelerate neurological decline in experimental models. It stands to reason that similar dynamics could occur with pesticide residues, especially near high-density farming zones.
Cardiovascular Disease and Chemical Exposure
Chemical exposures are also increasingly implicated in cardiovascular diseases. Pesticides such as atrazine and glyphosate have been linked in some studies to hypertension, arterial stiffness, and endothelial dysfunction (Liu et al., 2022). In South Florida, cardiovascular disease rates are approximately 15% higher than national averages, raising questions about chronic low-dose exposures to airborne pollutants originating from water management systems.
Elevated Cancer Rates
Particularly concerning are increased cancer rates in South Florida. For instance, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and bladder cancer—both associated with environmental exposures—are reported at rates up to 18% higher than the national average in certain regions (Environmental Health, 2023). These cancers have known links to atrazine, glyphosate, and other agricultural chemicals, which may linger in stormwater runoff and potentially become aerosolized.
The Bioremediation Paradox: Fighting Pollution While Spawning Resistance?
Bioremediation is often framed as a sustainable solution for cleaning pollutants from stormwater, but it may come with unintended consequences. Recent studies show that bioremediation zones in stormwater systems can accumulate antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and sulfamethoxazole at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 10 µg/L (Liu et al., 2022).
These concentrations, while seemingly low, are sufficient to apply selective pressure on bacterial populations. Research has identified strains of P. aeruginosa and E. coli isolated from stormwater systems that carry resistance to multiple antibiotic classes (Rana & Bérubé, 2019). This suggests that bioremediation, while helpful for pollutant breakdown, may also be incubating antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can be aerosolized and transported into residential areas.
The emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens through environmental exposure routes is a growing concern worldwide. When these pathogens become airborne in subtropical conditions, the public health risk multiplies.
What Needs to Be Studied Next
The gaps in our current understanding present an opportunity for targeted environmental health research. Based on the literature and available public data, the following research directions are urgently needed:
Air Sampling and Chemical Profiling: Measurement of aerosolized chemical and microbial content around stormwater holding areas in agricultural zones during different seasons.
Epidemiological Analysis: Comparative studies between populations living near stormwater systems and those who are not, controlling for other socioeconomic and health variables.
Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance: Genomic analysis of microbial populations in stormwater bioremediation zones to track resistance genes and horizontal gene transfer mechanisms.
Toxicology Studies: Assessment of long-term inhalation exposure to low-dose pesticides and VOCs under humid and high-temperature conditions.
Conclusion
Florida’s stormwater infrastructure, climate, and agricultural economy intersect in a way that may present unique environmental health challenges. Yet, the research has not caught up with this emerging reality. The aerosolization of contaminants from stormwater systems is not just a technical issue—it may be a silent contributor to disease burdens that disproportionately affect South Florida residents.
Public health depends on the proactive identification of such risks, especially as climate change intensifies existing vulnerabilities. It is time to take a closer, more scientific look at how our water management strategies—and the environments they create—may be reshaping the health landscape of this region.
References
1. Cheng, Y.-L., et al. (2021). Emerging environmental health risks associated with stormwater runoff: A review of bioaerosols and bioremediation strategies. Environmental Health, 20(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-021-00771-2
2. Liu, J., et al. (2022). Antibiotic resistance in stormwater runoff and the public health implications. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 8, 215–228. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1EW00755A
3. Florida Department of Health. (2021). Pneumonia death rate in Florida. Florida Health CHARTS.
4. Zhai, G., et al. (2020). Exposure to aerosolized algal toxins in South Florida increases short- and long-term health risks in a Drosophila model of aging. Toxins, 12(10), 655. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12100655
5. Rana, R., & Bérubé, K. A. (2019). The role of bioaerosols in the spread of antimicrobial resistance in urban environments. Environmental Pollution, 251, 940–953. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.067
6. Backer, L. C., et al. (2019). Florida red tide and human health effects: Reducing public exposure and health risks. The Lancet Planetary Health, 3(11), e411–e412. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(19)30264-6
7. Miller, L., et al. (2023). Impact of aerosolized algal toxins on public health in Florida. InventUM, University of Miami.
8. Environmental Health. (2023). Emerging environmental health risks associated with biosolids application. Biomed Central. https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-023-00827-4
