Air Contaminants Inside and Outside Rural Homes Near Biosolids-Applied Agricultural Farm Fields

Details

• Personal Author:
  Akbar-Khanzadeh F ; Ames A ; Carlson D ; Czajkowski K ; Kabelen J ; Koch T ; Milz S
• Description:
  Objective: The study evaluated air quality inside and outside three study and three control homes selected based on proximity (up to 1 km for study and 10 km for control homes) to farm fields applied with biosolids as fertilizer. Methods: Homes were sampled in pairs (one study, one control) simultaneously for 72- hours at a time. Each home was sampled 6 separate occasions providing a total of 36 home visits. Real-time integrated and instantaneous monitoring instruments were used to sample air contaminants at 2 stations, one inside and one outside each home. Instruments were set up 1m above the floor inside and 1.5m above the ground outside with the instruments' inlets facing into the dominant wind direction. Integrated data were logged at one-minute intervals. A weather station monitored climatic factors outside homes. Results: The levels (ppm) of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) ranged up to 21 inside and 52 outside homes. The mean levels of VOCs were higher inside than outside both study and control homes and were significantly lower inside study compared to control homes. The levels of hydrogen sulfide were generally non-detected inside or outside homes. The levels of ammonia (ppm) ranged up to 3.5 inside and 14.6 outside homes. On average, the levels of ammonia were lower inside than outside in both study and control homes and were significantly higher inside study homes than those in control homes. The levels of carbon dioxide (400- 2823 ppm), carbon monoxide (0.0-4.9 ppm) and ultrafine particles (802-128000 count/cc) were not significantly different inside or outside study homes compared to those in control homes. Conclusions: The results indicated that home proximity to biosolids-applied agricultural farm fields did not significantly contribute to higher air contamination but the issue deserves further investigation. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Air Pollutants, Occupational Environmental Exposure Environmental Monitoring Fertilizers Occupational Health Safety Volatile Organic Compounds
• Keywords:
  Agricultural Industry Air Contaminants Air Monitoring Environmental Exposure VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds
• Publisher:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  70-71
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20054449
• Citation:
  AIHce 2012: American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, June 16-21, 2012, Indianapolis, Indiana. Falls Church, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2012 Jun; :70-71
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• Performing Organization:
  University of Toledo Health Science Campus, Ohio
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  AIHce 2012: American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, June 16-21, 2012, Indianapolis, Indiana
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f882b79191058e39f773d4a4d937f5841463111e618b8a840d1eb8bc0de169542493147028a5ff303cbf3eee1f2267994fd8aa7f0ecbd2e155584556b890fa81
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/217015/cdc_217015_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 136.90 KB ]