Characterizing Metals in Particulate Pollution in Communities at the Fenceline of Heavy Industry: Combining Mobile Monitoring and Size-Resolved Filter Measurements

Details

• Personal Author:
  Burke T ; Chiger AA ; DeCarlo PF ; Fortner EC ; Gigot C ; Koehler K ; Nachman KE ; Robinson ES ; Rule AM ; Sheu R ; Tehrani MW ; Van Bramer S ; Werden BS ; Yacovitch T
• Description:
  Exposures to metals from industrial emissions can pose important health risks. The Chester-Trainer-Marcus Hook area of southeastern Pennsylvania is home to multiple petrochemical plants, a refinery, and a waste incinerator, most abutting socio-economically disadvantaged residential communities. Existing information on fenceline community exposures is based on monitoring data with low temporal and spatial resolution and EPA models that incorporate industry self-reporting. During a 3 week sampling campaign in September 2021, size-resolved particulate matter (PM) metals concentrations were obtained at a fixed site in Chester and on-line mobile aerosol measurements were conducted around Chester-Trainer-Marcus Hook. Fixed-site arsenic, lead, antimony, cobalt, and manganese concentrations in total PM were higher (p < 0.001) than EPA model estimates, and arsenic, lead, and cadmium were predominantly observed in fine PM (<2.5 µm), the PM fraction which can penetrate deeply into the lungs. Hazard index analysis suggests adverse effects are not expected from exposures at the observed levels; however, additional chemical exposures, PM size fraction, and non-chemical stressors should be considered in future studies for accurate assessment of risk. Fixed-site MOUDI and nearby mobile aerosol measurements were moderately correlated (r ≥ 0.5) for aluminum, potassium and selenium. Source apportionment analyses suggested the presence of four major emissions sources (sea salt, mineral dust, general combustion, and non-exhaust vehicle emissions) in the study area. Elevated levels of combustion-related elements of health concern (e.g., arsenic, cadmium, antimony, and vanadium) were observed near the waste incinerator and other industrial facilities by mobile monitoring, as well as in residential-zoned areas in Chester. These results suggest potential co-exposures to harmful atmospheric metal/metalloids in communities surrounding the Chester-Trainer-Marcus Hook industrial area at levels that may exceed previous estimates from EPA modeling. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollution Metals Metal Workers Occupational Health Particulate Matter Safety
• Keywords:
  Environmental Health Monitoring Environmental Pollution Industrial Emissions Metalloids Particle Size Particulates Petroleum Refineries Smelting Trace Metals
• ISSN:
  2050-7887
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  25
• Issue:
  9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20068412
• Citation:
  Environ Sci Process Impacts 2023 Sep; 25(9):1491-1504
• Contact Point Address:
  Peter F. DeCarlo, Aerodyne Research Inc., Billerica, MA, USA
• Email:
  pdecarl1@jhu.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2023
• Performing Organization:
  Johns Hopkins University
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8608f117a0b0d17627429a921161cb612490a8c22d60afde932f0ecf4c6b26ca325f313c9aa9c561a25fd74262500f40010b599ac9b29e5fb6a5d40c49b2c04d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/230570/cdc_230570_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 4.11 MB ]