Exposures to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and associated health risks of socio-economically disadvantaged population in a “hot spot” in Camden, New Jersey

• Published in: Atmospheric environment (1994) Vol. 57; pp. 72 - 79
• Main Authors: Wu, Xiangmei (May), Fan, Zhihua (Tina), Zhu, Xianlei, Jung, Kyung Hwa, Ohman-Strickland, Pamela, Weisel, Clifford P., Lioy, Paul J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air; Air pollution; atmospheric chemistry; Benzene; Biological and medical sciences; Cadmium sulfides; Communities; Community air pollution; Environmental pollutants toxicology; Health; Health risks; hexane; Hot spot; Hot spots; Medical sciences; minorities (people); Personal exposure; Risk; Socio-economically disadvantaged population; summer; toluene; Toxicology; United States Environmental Protection Agency; villages; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; winter; xylene; New Jersey; United States; North America; America; VOCs; Community air pollution; Personal exposure; Socio-economically disadvantaged population; Hot spot; Health risks; Human; Poverty; Socioeconomic status; Volatile organic compound; Exposure; Ethnic group; Health and environment; Health hazards; Air pollution; Community; Public health; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 1352-2310; 1873-2844
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2012.04.029

To address disparities in health risks associated with ambient air pollution for racial/ethnic minority groups, this study characterized personal and ambient concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a suspected hot spot of air pollution – the Village of Waterfront South (WFS), and an urban reference community – the Copewood/Davis Streets (CDS) neighborhood in Camden, New Jersey. Both are minority-dominant, impoverished communities. We collected 24-h integrated personal air samples from 54 WFS residents and 53 CDS residents, with one sample on a weekday and one on a weekend day during the summer and winter seasons of 2004–2006. Ambient air samples from the center of each community were also collected simultaneously during personal air sampling. Toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (TEX) presented higher (p < 0.05) ambient levels in WFS than in CDS, particularly during weekdays. A stronger association between personal and ambient concentrations of MTBE and TEX was found in WFS than in CDS. Fourteen to forty-two percent of the variation in personal MTBE, hexane, benzene, and TEX was explained by local outdoor air pollution. These observations indicated that local sources impacted the community air pollution and personal exposure in WFS. The estimated cancer risks resulting from two locally emitted VOCs, benzene and ethylbenzene, and non-cancer neurological and respiratory effects resulting from hexane, benzene, toluene, and xylenes exceeded the US EPA risk benchmarks in both communities. These findings emphasized the need to address disparity in health risks associated with ambient air pollution for the socio-economically disadvantaged groups. This study also demonstrated that air pollution hot spots similar to WFS can provide robust setting to investigate health effects of ambient air pollution.
► We report VOC exposure levels in two minority and low-income communities. ► We quantify the contribution of ambient VOC pollution on personal exposure levels. ► The estimated risks for both communities exceeded the US EPA risk benchmarks. ► The hot spot provides a robust setting to examine health effects of ambient VOCs.