Ed. Pellizzari et al., National human exposure assessment survey (NHEXAS): exploratory survey of exposure among population subgroups in EPA Region V, J EXP AN EN, 9(1), 1999, pp. 49-55
Citations number
13
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE ANALYSIS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
The National Human Exposure Assessment Survey (NHEXAS) provides a rich data
base of exposure and environmental measurements for persons living in EPA R
egion V (Great Lakes). Demographics (e.g., gender, minority status, age, in
come, and year home built) between U.S. Census data and the overall Region
V sample were compared and showed good agreement. This representative sampl
e was used to conduct an exploratory investigation of selected subpopulatio
ns that might exhibit higher exposures, on average, to volatile organic che
micals (VOCs) such as benzene, chloroform, etc.; inspirable particles; and
metals (e.g., lead, arsenic, etc.) than the general population in Region V.
Means and medians were the metrics of comparison. Personal air exposures f
or p-dichlorobenzene were significantly higher in adults (> 21 years old) t
han in children (1-14 years old) (median: below detection Limit vs. 0.87 mu
g/m(3), p = 0.0005), while a trend toward higher levels of arsenic exposur
e in children than adults was observed (median: 1.13 vs. 0.8 ng/m(3), p = 0
.083). A trend towards higher personal air exposure to lead for minorities
vs. nonminorities was evident (median: 26 vs. 12 ng/m(3), p = 0.066), but p
ersonal exposure to 1,1,1-trichloroethane tended to be higher in nonminorit
ies (mean: 22 vs. 3.7 mu g/m(3), p = 0.081). Dietary exposure to arsenic fr
om solid foods was significantly higher in adults than children (mean: 21 v
s. 7.1 mu g/kg, p = 0.0001; median: 10 vs. 5.6 mu g/kg, p = < 0.001), and f
or cadmium it was higher for nonminorities than minorities (median: 18 vs.
15 mu g/kg, p = 0.023). Ln contrast, the dietary intake for arsenic, which
is based on body weight, was significantly higher in children than adults (
mean: 1.72 vs 1.38 mu g kg(-1) day(-1), p = < 0.0001; median 1.02 vs. 0.83,
p = < 0.0001). Dietary exposure to chromium in beverages tended to be high
er in minorities than nonminorities (median: 16 vs. 13 mu g/kg, p = 0.017).
Lead levels in surface dust wipes tended to increase with the age of the h
ome (mean: 128 mu g/g in homes built since 1980 to 1075 mu g/g in homes bui
lt before 1940; median: 93 to 236 mu g/g, respectively). These findings wer
e consistent with the observation that for persons living in older homes pe
rsonal air exposures to lead are elevated compared to persons living in rec
ently built homes (median: 12 ng/m3 in homes built since 1980, vs. 24 ng/m(
3) in homes built before 1940, p = 0.043).