Evaluation of Bayesian Maximum Entropy Data Fusion Approaches to Estimate Styrene, Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes and to Inform Epidemiological Analyses in the US Gulf States

Details

• Personal Author:
  Abbott NA ; Baek BH ; Dodda P ; Engel LS ; Green J ; Semone L ; Serre ML ; Strott R ; Vizuete W ; Wang C-T
• Description:
  The Gulf States are home to industries emitting styrene, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (SBTEX). Presently, adverse health effects of ambient SBTEX exposure in highly polluted regions, such as the Gulf States, must be evaluated. Epidemiologists, however, are limited by inadequate estimates of ambient SBTEX. Using Bayesian Maximum Entropy, SBTEX estimation methods of varying resource intensity were evaluated, including simple kriging (least intense), incorporation of observational and emissions data trends (moderately intense), and data fusion of observed and Comprehensive Air quality Model with extensions (CAMx) data (most intense). Generally, as resource intensity increased, so did SBTEX estimation performance, where SBTEX Spearman R values increased by 0.48 on average from the least to most intense methods. Data fusion of observed and CAMx data was identified as the best ambient SBTEX estimation method in the Gulf States. Exposure estimates revealed that Gulf States residences within commuting distance of high industrial activity experienced 1.64 times higher 97.5th percentile daily exposures to SBTEX on average than those living in less industrialized areas, which could contribute to total occupational and ambient exposure disparities. Furthermore, ambient benzene exposure was greater than the acceptable one-in-a-million excess cancer risk threshold for 75% of estimated residence locations in the Gulf States. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollution Benzene Epidemiology Occupational Health Safety Styrene Toluene Volatile Organic Compounds Xylenes
• Keywords:
  Air Pollution Author Keywords: Bayesian Maximum Entropy BTEX Data Fusion Environmental Health Monitoring Ethylbenzene Exposure Modeled Data Statistical Analysis VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds

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• ISSN:
  0013-936X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Atlanta Region [OSHA] ; North Carolina ; Philadelphia Region [OSHA] ; Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  45-55
• Volume:
  59
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070603
• Citation:
  Environ Sci Technol 2025 Jan; 59(1):45-55
• Contact Point Address:
  Marc L. Serre, Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
• Email:
  marc_serre@unc.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Benzene (CAS RN 71-43-2) ; Ethylbenzene (CAS RN 100-41-4) ; Styrene (CAS RN 100-42-5) ; Toluene (CAS RN 108-88-3) ; Xylene (CAS RN 1330-20-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• Performing Organization:
  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental Science and Technology
• End Date:
  20270630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:29873db9561c3f7014881ed823123f89f0e5ea367870fdf66af7a541abd108a2122e0a923c4425b4e3b75bbf5e6cf799663bc134b60c093a5825a782970cc911
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208782/cdc_208782_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 5.43 MB ]