Microbiome Alterations from Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Exposures Among Workers in Salons Primarily Serving Women of Color

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dalton KR ; Davis MF ; Fandiño-Del-Rio M ; Louis LM ; Pool W ; Quirós-Alcalá L ; Randolph K ; Rule AM ; Thomas S
• Description:
  Salon workers, especially those serving an ethnically and racially diverse clientele (i.e., Black/Latina), may experience disparately high levels of workplace exposures to respiratory irritants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Salon workers are also reported to have a greater risk of developing respiratory conditions compared to the general population. Emerging evidence suggests that occupational chemical exposures may alter the human microbiome and that these alterations may be an important mechanism by which workplace VOC exposures adversely impact respiratory health. This preliminary research investigated the potential effects of 28 VOC urinary biomarkers on the 16S rRNA nasal microbiome in 40 workers from salons primarily serving women of color (Black and Dominican salons) compared to office workers. Our exploratory analysis revealed significant differences in microbial composition by worker group; namely dissimilar levels of Staphylococcus species (S. epidermidis and S. aureus, specifically) in salon workers compared to office workers, and higher alpha diversity levels in workers in Dominican salons compared to workers in Black salons. Within-sample alpha diversity levels tended to be decreased with higher VOC urinary biomarker concentrations, significantly for carbon disulfide, acrolein, acrylonitrile, crotonaldehyde, and vinyl chloride biomarkers. Our research highlights that occupational exposures, particularly to chemicals like VOCs, can impact the respiratory microbiome in the vulnerable salon worker group. Further understanding of the potential effects of chemical mixtures on microbial composition may provide key insights to respiratory health and other adverse health outcomes, as well as direct prevention efforts in this largely historically understudied occupational population. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Asthma Asthma, Occupational Biomarkers Healthcare Disparities Minority Health Nose Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Race Factors Safety Sense Organs Volatile Organic Compounds

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Nasal Microbiome Hair Salons Health Disparities Minority Health Minority Workers Nasal Cavity Occupational Exposure Occupational Exposures Racial Factors Salon Workers Service Industries VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds Volatile Organic Compounds Biomarkers

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• ISSN:
  0013-9351
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; OSHA Region 3
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  214
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20066577
• Citation:
  Environ Res 2022 Nov; 214(Pt 4):114125
• Contact Point Address:
  Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205
• Email:
  lalcala1@jhu.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2023
• Performing Organization:
  Johns Hopkins University
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Part Number:
  4
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental Research
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:18f98961075af4b89febc3b8d98afc014256711e981357512eb8e9a0bd3cad1962090b1c4f095cc9a32911412ceddff57391aa6a2dfefb1efd0dc27b83d6f92b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/231126/cdc_231126_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 4.63 MB ]