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Larsen K, Rydz E, Peters CE. Inequalities in Environmental Cancer Risk and Carcinogen Exposures: A Scoping Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20095718. [PMID: 37174236 PMCID: PMC10178444 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20095718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Background: Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada and a major cause of death worldwide. Environmental exposure to carcinogens and environments that may relate to health behaviors are important to examine as they can be modified to lower cancer risks. Built environments include aspects such as transit infrastructure, greenspace, food and tobacco environments, or land use, which may impact how people move, exercise, eat, and live. While environments may play a role in overall cancer risk, exposure to carcinogens or healthier environments is not equitably spread across space. Exposures to carcinogens commonly concentrate among socially and/or economically disadvantaged populations. While many studies have examined inequalities in exposure or cancer risk, this has commonly been for one exposure. Methods: This scoping review collected and synthesized research that examines inequities in carcinogenic environments and exposures. Results: This scoping review found that neighborhoods with higher proportions of low-income residents, racialized people, or same-sex couples had higher exposures to carcinogens and environments that may influence cancer risk. There are currently four main themes in research studying inequitable exposures: air pollution and hazardous substances, tobacco access, food access, and other aspects of the built environment, with most research still focusing on air pollution. Conclusions: More work is needed to understand how exposures to these four areas intersect with other factors to reduce inequities in exposures to support longer-term goals toward cancer prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristian Larsen
- Health Canada, Office of Environmental Health, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Environmental and Radiation Health Science Directorate, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
- CAREX Canada, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Ela Rydz
- CAREX Canada, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Cheryl E Peters
- CAREX Canada, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Prevention, Screening and Hereditary Cancer, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4E6, Canada
- Population and Public Health, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4R4, Canada
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Ferguson L, Taylor J, Davies M, Shrubsole C, Symonds P, Dimitroulopoulou S. Exposure to indoor air pollution across socio-economic groups in high-income countries: A scoping review of the literature and a modelling methodology. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 143:105748. [PMID: 32629198 PMCID: PMC7903144 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Disparities in outdoor air pollution exposure between individuals of differing socio-economic status is a growing area of research, widely explored in the environmental health literature. However, in developed countries, around 80% of time is spent indoors, meaning indoor air pollution may be a better proxy for personal exposure. Building characteristics - such as build quality, volume and ventilation - and occupant behaviour, mean indoor air pollution may also vary across socio-economic groups, leading to health inequalities. Much of the existing literature has focused on inequalities in exposure to outdoor air pollution, and there is thus a lack of an evidence base reviewing data for indoor environments. In this study, a scoping review of the literature on indoor air pollution exposures across different socio-economic groups is performed, examining evidence from both monitoring and modelling studies in the developed world. The literature was reviewed, identifying different indoor pollutants, definitions for socio-economic status and pre- and post- housing interventions. Based on the review, the study proposes a modelling methodology for evaluating the effects of environmental policies on different socio-economic populations. Using a sample size calculation, obstacles in obtaining sufficiently large samples of monitored data are demonstrated. A modelling framework for the rapid quantification of daily home exposure is then outlined as a proof of concept. While significant additional research is required to examine inequalities in indoor exposures, modelling approaches may provide opportunities to quantify exposure disparities due to housing and behaviours across populations of different socio-economic status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Ferguson
- UCL Energy Institute, Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, UK; Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, UK; Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, UK.
| | - Jonathon Taylor
- Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, UK
| | - Michael Davies
- Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, UK
| | - Clive Shrubsole
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, UK
| | - Phil Symonds
- Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, UK
| | - Sani Dimitroulopoulou
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, UK
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Chemical or Natural? Including LCA in Social CBA to Compare Remediation Alternatives for a Dry-Cleaning Facility. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11071975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The choice between remediation alternatives for contaminated sites is complicated by different elements, e.g., the occurrence of multiple contaminants, the extent of the contamination, or the urban location, complicate the choice between remediation alternatives. This paper addresses this challenging choice by analyzing a case study of an extensive soil and groundwater contamination by a dry-cleaning company. For remediating this site, two alternatives were proposed. The first remediation alternative combines several techniques with in-situ chemical oxidization being the most important one. Due to the potential negative impact of this alternative on local residents a second remediation alternative was drawn up, in which the focus lies on the use of stimulated biological degradation. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was performed on both alternatives and showed that the second alternative had a lower environmental impact. The inclusion of monetized LCA results in the calculation of a social Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) provided a more extensive view of the secondary environmental costs and benefits of the remediation alternatives. The results of the social CBA allow to conclude that both alternatives are not socially desirable, the chemical alternative however is socially less disadvantageous than the more natural remediation alternative.
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Scheepers PTJ, Graumans MHF, van Dael M, de Werdt L, Pinckaers N, Beckmann G, Anzion R. Intrusion of chlorinated hydrocarbons and their degradation products from contaminated soil. Measurement of indoor air quality and biomonitoring by analysis of end-exhaled air. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 653:223-230. [PMID: 30412867 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A historic soil contamination of chlorinated hydrocarbons from a former dry cleaning shop caused intrusion of vapors into a building currently used as bookshop. The aim of this study was to determine the indoor air quality and the uptake of soil contaminants and their degradation products. Samples of indoor air were collected over one week in the warm and one week in the cold season. Pre-shift and post-shift samples of end-exhaled air were collected from two employees. Chlorinated hydrocarbons were analyzed in indoor air and exhaled air samples using thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). Tetrachloroethylene (PER), and its degradation products trichloroethylene (TRI), 1,1-dichloroethylene (1,1-DCE), 1,2-cis-dichloroethylene (1,2-cis-DCE), 1,2-trans-dichloroethylene (1,2-trans-DCE), methylene chloride (MC) and vinyl chloride (VC) were determined in ambient air. PER was the prime contaminant with a week average (±sd) of 805.2 ± 598.6 μg/m3 in June 2016 and 1031 ± 499.3 μg/m3 in December 2017. MC, 1,2-cis-DCE and TRI were detected at concentrations below 2.3 μg/m3. 1,1-DCE and VC were not detected. In exhaled air PER, 1,1-DCE, and MC were detected in both June and December, whereas TRI, 1,2-cis-DCE and 1,2-trans-DCE were only detected on one or two days in the cold season. VC was not detected in exhaled air. For PER, the mean concentrations (±sd) in end-exhaled air increased from a five days (Mon-Fri) average pre-shift value of 22.2 ± 8.0 to a post-shift value of 52.6 ± 15.5 ng/L in the male shop owner (p < 0.01) and in the female cashier these values were 26.0 ± 3.6 and 63.6 ± 12.7 ng/L, respectively (p < 0.01). Intrusion of chlorinated soil contaminants resulted in contamination of indoor air above the current accepted indoor air level for PER of 250 μg/m3. For PER in end-exhaled air an accumulation over the workweek was not observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul T J Scheepers
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Maurice van Dael
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Laurie de Werdt
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Nicole Pinckaers
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Gwendolyn Beckmann
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Rob Anzion
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Clougherty JE, Shmool JLC, Kubzansky LD. The Role of Non-Chemical Stressors in Mediating Socioeconomic Susceptibility to Environmental Chemicals. Curr Environ Health Rep 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s40572-014-0031-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Huang B, Lei C, Wei C, Zeng G. Chlorinated volatile organic compounds (Cl-VOCs) in environment - sources, potential human health impacts, and current remediation technologies. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2014; 71:118-38. [PMID: 25016450 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2014.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 338] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Revised: 06/20/2014] [Accepted: 06/24/2014] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Chlorinated volatile organic compounds (Cl-VOCs), including polychloromethanes, polychloroethanes and polychloroethylenes, are widely used as solvents, degreasing agents and a variety of commercial products. These compounds belong to a group of ubiquitous contaminants that can be found in contaminated soil, air and any kind of fluvial mediums such as groundwater, rivers and lakes. This review presents a summary of the research concerning the production levels and sources of Cl-VOCs, their potential impacts on human health as well as state-of-the-art remediation technologies. Important sources of Cl-VOCs principally include the emissions from industrial processes, the consumption of Cl-VOC-containing products, the disinfection process, as well as improper storage and disposal methods. Human exposure to Cl-VOCs can occur through different routes, including ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact. The toxicological impacts of these compounds have been carefully assessed, and the results demonstrate the potential associations of cancer incidence with exposure to Cl-VOCs. Most Cl-VOCs thus have been listed as priority pollutants by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) of China, Environmental Protection Agency of the U.S. (U.S. EPA) and European Commission (EC), and are under close monitor and strict control. Yet, more efforts will be put into the epidemiological studies for the risk of human exposure to Cl-VOCs and the exposure level measurements in contaminated sites in the future. State-of-the-art remediation technologies for Cl-VOCs employ non-destructive methods and destructive methods (e.g. thermal incineration, phytoremediation, biodegradation, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and reductive dechlorination), whose advantages, drawbacks and future developments are thoroughly discussed in the later sections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binbin Huang
- College of Environment Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
| | - Chao Lei
- School of Hydraulic Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410114, P.R. China
| | - Chaohai Wei
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Eco-Remediation of Guangdong Regular Higher Education Institutions, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Guangming Zeng
- College of Environment Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P.R. China
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