Gardenroots: The Arizona Garden Project- a Co-Created Citizen-Science Project in Apache, Cochise and Greenlee County.

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\cocoartf1404\cocoasubrtf460 {\fonttbl\f0\froman\fcharset0 TimesNewRomanPSMT;} {\colortbl;\red255\green255\blue255;} \margl1440\margr1440\vieww10800\viewh8400\viewkind0 \deftab720 \pard\tx560\tx1120\tx1680\tx2240\tx2800\tx3360\tx3920\tx4480\tx5040\tx5600\tx6160\tx6720\pardeftab720\partightenfactor0 \f0\fs24 \cf0 \expnd0\expndtw0\kerning0 Multimedia exposure assessments are being conducted in rural Arizona residential and community gardens near resource extraction activities. Due to their close proximity to resource extraction activities, residents may be exposed to contaminants of concern (arsenic and heavy metals), via inhalation of water, incidental soil ingestion, consumption of locally grown crops and inhalation (dust). It is difficult to pinpoint what the contaminants are, and at what dose, as resource extraction activities are ubiquitous and rural areas are historically undeserved. To address the growing need, community members in three Arizona counties were asked to participate in a co-created citizen-science project, and concentrations of metals, as well as site-specific feedback would be reported back to them, pertaining to their individual home gardens. We conducted environmental health needs assessments with Cooperative Extension agents and rural gardeners across Arizona, and in response: training sessions were held at each county, and participants were asked to collect soil, water, vegetable, and dust samples from their gardens, as well as documenting their work in journals for future analysis. By providing an opportunity for community members to engage in multiple phases of the research process, combined with the ongoing communication with the researchers, it is anticipated that participants will increase their environmental health literacy. }