A Pilot Study Characterizing Tetrachloroethylene Exposure with Exhaled Breath in an Impacted Community

Details

• Personal Author:
  Aikins EA ; Alajlouni M ; Catt W ; Katta SS ; Lee JH ; Liu S ; Rasti AF ; Turyk ME ; Wallace TE ; Yan EZ
• Description:
  Martinsville, Indiana overlays four groundwater contamination plumes, including a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-designated Superfund site. The primary contaminants are tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Martinsville represents many similar communities facing the challenge of groundwater and soil contamination and vapor intrusion, where residents are often frustrated by the lack of help in understanding and addressing the problem. The objective of this study was to evaluate PCE in exhaled breath to identify and quantify exposure to PCE and to explore the extent and level of PCE exposure among community residents. We measured chlorinated VOCs in exhaled breath samples from 38 healthy individuals who lived either in a contamination area or outside any plume area. We also measured VOCs in indoor air and tap water samples collected from 10 homes. PCE was detected in all exhaled breath samples (mean: 6.6 µg/m3; range: 1.9-44 µg/m3) and tap water samples (mean: 0.74 µg/L; range: 0.39-0.92 µg/L). PCE was detected in six of nine (66%) homes with air concentrations ranging from 1.6 to 70 µg/m3, exceeding the EPA action level of 42 µg/m3. We did not detect TCE or any other chlorinated VOCs in these samples. PCE exposure occurred among individuals living on the EPA Superfund site, as well as among those living on other plume sites and those living outside any known plumes. Preventive measures should focus on identifying highly exposed groups and reducing their exposures, followed by addressing moderately elevated exposures in the community. Our results demonstrated that PCE in exhaled breath can be used as an effective tool in community engaged environmental health research to evaluate the extent and level of community exposure, increase awareness, and promote residents' participation in research and site cleanup decision-making. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Pollution Occupational Health Safety Tetrachloroethylene Volatile Organic Compounds
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Exhaled Breath Breath Analysis Community-engaged Research Community Based Community Exposure Environmental Contamination Ground Water Indoor Environments Superfund Site Vapor Intrusion VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds

  More +
• ISSN:
  0269-7491
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Illinois ; Indiana ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  297
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20067263
• Citation:
  Environ Pollut 2022 Mar; 297:118756
• Contact Point Address:
  Sa Liu, 550 Stadium Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
• Email:
  saliu@purdue.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Tetrachloroethylene (CAS RN 127-18-4)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• Performing Organization:
  Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20010701
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental Pollution
• End Date:
  20270630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:4bf65cce77269f4ae4b40ad7551140a6e6b81dbd7e17f763037e413cdea9bc297dad6f10ccd7a30050edab21a7a4a75644ef27671239d3ec0baca1edb7f8b3d8
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/231376/cdc_231376_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.39 MB ]