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Abstract
Taking stock of environmental justice (EJ) is daunting. It is at once a scholarly field, an ongoing social movement, and an administrative imperative adopted by government agencies and incorporated into legislation. Moreover, within academia, it is multidisciplinary and multimethodological, comprising scholars who do not always speak to one another. Any review of EJ is thus necessarily restrictive. This article explores several facets of EJ activism. One is its coalitional and "inside-outside" orientation. EJ activists are constantly forming alliances with other stakeholders, but these coalitions do not flout the importance of engaging with formal institutions. The review next turns to one set of such institutions-the courts and regulatory agencies-to see how well EJ claims have fared there. I then survey scientific findings that have been influenced by EJ. The review concludes with future directions for activists and scholars to consider: the changing nature of EJ coalitions, fragmentation within EJ and with other fields, the historical roots of environmental injustice, and opportunities for stronger infusion of the EJ lens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merlin Chowkwanyun
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA;
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Claustre L, Bouchard M, Gasparyan L, Bosson-Rieutort D, Owens-Beek N, Caron-Beaudoin É, Verner MA. Assessing gestational exposure to trace elements in an area of unconventional oil and gas activity: comparison with reference populations and evaluation of variability. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:94-101. [PMID: 36564511 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00508-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Located in Northeastern British Columbia, the Montney formation is an important area of unconventional oil and gas exploitation, which can release contaminants like trace elements. Gestational exposure to these contaminants may lead to deleterious developmental effects. OBJECTIVES Our study aimed to (1) assess gestational exposure to trace elements in women living in this region through repeated urinary measurements; (2) compare urinary concentrations to those from North American reference populations; (3) compare urinary concentrations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants; and (4) evaluate inter- and intra-individual variability in urinary levels. METHODS Eighty-five pregnant women participating in the Exposures in the Peace River Valley (EXPERIVA) study provided daily spot urine samples over 7 consecutive days. Samples were analyzed for 20 trace elements using inductively-coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Descriptive statistics were calculated, and inter- and intra-individual variability in urinary levels was evaluated through intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) calculation for each trace element. RESULTS When compared with those from North American reference populations, median urinary levels were higher in our population for barium (~2 times), cobalt (~3 times) and strontium (~2 times). The 95th percentile of reference populations was exceeded at least 1 time by a substantial percentage of participants during the sampling week for barium (58%), cobalt (73%), copper (29%), manganese (28%), selenium (38%), strontium (60%) and vanadium (100%). We observed higher urinary manganese concentrations in self-identified Indigenous participants (median: 0.19 µg/g creatinine) compared to non-Indigenous participants (median: 0.15 µg/g of creatinine). ICCs varied from 0.288 to 0.722, indicating poor to moderate reliability depending on the trace element. SIGNIFICANCE Our results suggest that pregnant women living in this region may be more exposed to certain trace elements (barium, cobalt, copper, manganese, selenium, strontium, and vanadium), and that one urine spot sample could be insufficient to adequately characterize participants' exposure to certain trace elements. IMPACT STATEMENT Unconventional oil and gas (UOG) is an important industry in the Peace River Valley region (Northeastern British Columbia, Canada). Information on the impacts of this industry is limited, but recent literature emphasizes the risk of environmental contamination. The results presented in this paper highlight that pregnant women living near UOG wells in Northeastern British Columbia may be more exposed to some trace elements known to be related to this industry compared to reference populations. Furthermore, our results based on repeated urinary measurements show that one urine sample may be insufficient to adequately reflect long-term exposure to certain trace elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Claustre
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michèle Bouchard
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Lilit Gasparyan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Delphine Bosson-Rieutort
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Deartment of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Élyse Caron-Beaudoin
- Department of Health and Society, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Marc-André Verner
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Li L, Dominici F, Blomberg AJ, Bargagli-Stoffi FJ, Schwartz JD, Coull BA, Spengler JD, Wei Y, Lawrence J, Koutrakis P. Exposure to Unconventional Oil and Gas Development and All-cause Mortality in Medicare Beneficiaries. NATURE ENERGY 2022; 7:177-185. [PMID: 35425643 PMCID: PMC9004666 DOI: 10.1038/s41560-021-00970-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about whether exposure to unconventional oil and gas development is associated with higher mortality risks in the elderly and whether related air pollutants are exposure pathways. We studied a cohort of 15,198,496 Medicare beneficiaries (136,215,059 person-years) in all major U.S. unconventional exploration regions from 2001 to 2015. We gathered data from records of more than 2.5 million oil and gas wells. For each beneficiary's ZIP code of residence and year in the cohort, we calculated a proximity-based and a downwind-based pollutant exposure. We analyzed the data using two methods: Cox proportional hazards model and Difference-in-Differences. We found evidence of statistically significant higher mortality risk associated with living in proximity to and downwind of unconventional oil and gas wells. Our results suggest that primary air pollutants sourced from unconventional oil and gas exploration can be a major exposure pathway with adverse health effects in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longxiang Li
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Francesca Dominici
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Annelise J. Blomberg
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Joel D. Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brent A. Coull
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John D. Spengler
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yaguang Wei
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joy Lawrence
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Erickson CL, Barron IG, Zapata I. The effects of hydraulic fracturing activities on birth outcomes are evident in a non-individualized county-wide aggregate data sample from Colorado. J Public Health Res 2021; 11. [PMID: 34619860 PMCID: PMC8859723 DOI: 10.4081/jphr.2021.2551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: There is growing concern about the recent increase in oil and gas development using hydraulic fracturing. Studies linking adverse birth outcomes and maternal proximity to hydraulic fracturing wells exist but tend to use individualized maternal and infant data contained in protected health care records. In this study, we extended the findings of these past studies to evaluate if analogous effects detected with individualized data could be detected from non-individualized county-wide aggregated data. Design and methods: This study used a retrospective cohort of 252,502 birth records from 1999 to 2019 gathered from a subset sample of 5 counties in the state of Colorado where hydraulic fracturing activities were conducted. We used Generalized Linear Models to evaluate the effect of county-wide well density and production data over unidentified birth weight, and prematurity data. Covariates used in the model were county-wide statistics sourced from the US Census. Results: Our modeling approach showed an interesting effect where hydraulic fracturing exposure metrics have a mixed effect directional response. This effect was detected on birth weight when well density, production and their interaction are accounted for. The interaction effect provides an additional interpretation to discrepancies reported previously in the literature. Our approach only detected a positive association to prematurity with increased production. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate two main points: First, the effect of hydraulic fracturing is detectable by using countywide unidentified data. Second, the effect of hydraulic fracturing can be complicated by the number of operations and the intensity of the activities in the area. Significance for public health The proliferation of hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas production has led to an increase in interest in the public health impact of this industry. Research in this field can be complicated due to data accessibility and concerns of privacy violations. In this study we focus on the assessment of maternal health outcomes while considering data privacy. The main goal of our study was to evaluate the potential of using non-individualized, county-wide data to detect the effects of hydraulic fracturing activities on birth outcomes. This goal was achieved by using county-wide exposure metrics of hydraulic fracturing well density and production and by adjusting to known demographic covariates sourced from Census data. Our study provides and alternate approach to evaluate health effects of hydraulic fracturing activities and provides additional evidence highlighting the complicated effects associations that should be considered in further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ileana G Barron
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL .
| | - Isain Zapata
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Rocky Vista University, Parker, CO.
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5
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Unconventional oil and gas development and ambient particle radioactivity. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5002. [PMID: 33051463 PMCID: PMC7553919 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18226-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Unconventional oil and natural gas development (UOGD) expanded extensively in the United States from the early 2000s. However, the influence of UOGD on the radioactivity of ambient particulate is not well understood. We collected the ambient particle radioactivity (PR) measurements of RadNet, a nationwide environmental radiation monitoring network. We obtained the information of over 1.5 million wells from the Enverus database. We investigated the association between the upwind UOGD well count and the downwind gross-beta radiation with adjustment for environmental factors governing the natural emission and transport of radioactivity. Our statistical analysis found that an additional 100 upwind UOGD wells within 20 km is associated with an increase of 0.024 mBq/m3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.020, 0.028 mBq/m3) in the gross-beta particle radiation downwind. Based on the published health analysis of PR, the widespread UOGD could induce adverse health effects to residents living close to UOGD by elevating PR.
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Deziel NC, Brokovich E, Grotto I, Clark CJ, Barnett-Itzhaki Z, Broday D, Agay-Shay K. Unconventional oil and gas development and health outcomes: A scoping review of the epidemiological research. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 182:109124. [PMID: 32069745 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hydraulic fracturing together with directional and horizontal well drilling (unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development) has increased substantially over the last decade. UOG development is a complex process presenting many potential environmental health hazards, raising serious public concern. AIM To conduct a scoping review to assess what is known about the human health outcomes associated with exposure to UOG development. METHODS We performed a literature search in MEDLINE and SCOPUS for epidemiological studies of exposure to UOG development and verified human health outcomes published through August 15, 2019. For each eligible study we extracted data on the study design, study population, health outcomes, exposure assessment approach, statistical methodology, and potential confounders. We reviewed the articles based on categories of health outcomes. RESULTS We identified 806 published articles, most of which were published during the last three years. After screening, 40 peer-reviewed articles were selected for full text evaluation and of these, 29 articles met our inclusion criteria. Studies evaluated pregnancy outcomes, cancer incidence, hospitalizations, asthma exacerbations, sexually transmitted diseases, and injuries or mortality from traffic accidents. Our review found that 25 of the 29 studies reported at least one statistically significant association between the UOG exposure metric and an adverse health outcome. The most commonly studied endpoint was adverse birth outcomes, particularly preterm deliveries and low birth weight. Few studies evaluated the mediating pathways that may underpin these associations, highlighting a clear need for research on the potential exposure pathways and mechanisms underlying observed relationships. CONCLUSIONS This review highlights the heterogeneity among studies with respect to study design, outcome of interest, and exposure assessment methodology. Though replication in other populations is important, current research points to a growing body of evidence of health problems in communities living near UOG sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, United States.
| | - Eran Brokovich
- Natural Resources Administration, Ministry of Energy, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Itamar Grotto
- Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel; School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer, Sheva, Israel.
| | - Cassandra J Clark
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Zohar Barnett-Itzhaki
- Public Health Services, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel; Research Center for Health Informatics, School of Engineering, Ruppin Academic Center, Israel.
| | - David Broday
- Department of Environmental, Water, and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Keren Agay-Shay
- Department of Population Health, Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel.
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Caron-Beaudoin É, Bouchard M, Wendling G, Barroso A, Bouchard MF, Ayotte P, Frohlich KL, Verner MA. Urinary and hair concentrations of trace metals in pregnant women from Northeastern British Columbia, Canada: a pilot study. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2019; 29:613-623. [PMID: 31089244 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-019-0144-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Northeastern British Columbia (Canada) is an area of intense natural gas exploitation by hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing can release contaminants, including trace metals, many of which are known developmental toxicants. To date, there is limited data on human exposure to contaminants in this region. OBJECTIVE We aimed to examine trace metals in urine and hair samples from 29 Indigenous and non-Indigenous pregnant women from two communities (Chetwynd and Dawson Creek) in Northeastern British Columbia. METHODS We recruited 29 pregnant women who provided spot urine samples over five consecutive days and one hair sample. We measured 19 trace metals in pooled urine samples from each participant and in the first 2 cm of hair closest to the scalp. We compared urinary and hair concentrations to those measured in women from the general population using data from the Canadian Health Measure Survey (CHMS), or reference values found in the literature for trace metals not measured in the CHMS. RESULTS Median urinary (0.49 μg/L) and hair (0.16 μg/g) concentrations of manganese were higher in our participants than in the CHMS (<0.05 µg/L in urine) or reference population (0.067 μg/g in hair). In hair, median values for barium (4.48 μg/g), aluminum (4.37 μg/g) and strontium (4.47 μg/g) were respectively 16, 3, and 6 times higher compared with median values in a reference population. Concentrations of barium and strontium in hair were higher in self-identified Indigenous participants (5.9 and 5.46 μg/g, respectively) compared to non-Indigenous participants (3.88 and 2.60 μg/g) (p-values = 0.02 and 0.03). CONCLUSION Our results suggest higher gestational exposure to certain trace metals in our study population compared to reference populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Élyse Caron-Beaudoin
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Université de Montréal, 2375 chemin de la Cote-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1A8, Canada.
- Université de Montréal Public Health Research Institute (IRSPUM), Université de Montréal, 7101, Parc Ave., Montreal, QC, H3N 1X7, Canada.
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Well-Being, Health, Society and Environment (CINBIOSE), Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada.
| | - Michèle Bouchard
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Université de Montréal, 2375 chemin de la Cote-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1A8, Canada
- Université de Montréal Public Health Research Institute (IRSPUM), Université de Montréal, 7101, Parc Ave., Montreal, QC, H3N 1X7, Canada
- Chaire d'analyse et de gestion des risques toxicologiques, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Gilles Wendling
- GW Solutions, Inc. 201-5180 Dublin Way, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 0H2, Canada
| | - Antonio Barroso
- GW Solutions, Inc. 201-5180 Dublin Way, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 0H2, Canada
| | - Maryse F Bouchard
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Université de Montréal, 2375 chemin de la Cote-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1A8, Canada
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3S 2G4, Canada
| | - Pierre Ayotte
- Centre de toxicologie du Québec, Institut National de la Santé Publique du Québec, 945 avenue Wolfe, Québec, QC, G1V 5B3, Canada
- Axe Santé des Populations et Pratiques Optimales en Santé, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, 1050 Chemin Ste-Foy, Québec, QC, G1S 4L8, Canada
| | - Katherine L Frohlich
- Université de Montréal Public Health Research Institute (IRSPUM), Université de Montréal, 7101, Parc Ave., Montreal, QC, H3N 1X7, Canada
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, École de Santé Publique (ESPUM), Université de Montréal, 7101 Av du Parc, Montréal, QC, H3N 1X9, Canada
| | - Marc-André Verner
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Université de Montréal, 2375 chemin de la Cote-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1A8, Canada
- Université de Montréal Public Health Research Institute (IRSPUM), Université de Montréal, 7101, Parc Ave., Montreal, QC, H3N 1X7, Canada
- Chaire d'analyse et de gestion des risques toxicologiques, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
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Casey JA, Wilcox HC, Hirsch AG, Pollak J, Schwartz BS. Associations of unconventional natural gas development with depression symptoms and disordered sleep in Pennsylvania. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11375. [PMID: 30054553 PMCID: PMC6063969 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29747-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental and community factors may influence the development or course of depression and sleep problems. We evaluated the association of unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) with depression symptoms and disordered sleep diagnoses using the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 and electronic health record data among Geisinger adult primary care patients in Pennsylvania. Participants received a retrospective metric for UNGD at their residence (very low, low, medium, and high) that incorporated dates and durations of well development, distance from patient homes to wells, and well characteristics. Analyses included 4,762 participants with no (62%), mild (23%), moderate (10%), and moderately severe or severe (5%) depression symptoms in 2014-2015 and 3,868 disordered sleep diagnoses between 2009-2015. We observed associations between living closer to more and bigger wells and depression symptoms, but not disordered sleep diagnoses in models weighted to account for sampling design and participation. High UNGD (vs. very low) was associated with depression symptoms in an adjusted negative binomial model (exponentiated coefficient = 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-1.34). High and low UNGD (vs. very low) were associated with depression symptoms (vs. none) in an adjusted multinomial logistic model. Our findings suggest that UNGD may be associated with adverse mental health in Pennsylvania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan A Casey
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, Berkeley, USA
| | - Holly C Wilcox
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Annemarie G Hirsch
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Services Research, Geisinger, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jonathan Pollak
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Brian S Schwartz
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Services Research, Geisinger, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
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Walker Whitworth K, Kaye Marshall A, Symanski E. Drilling and Production Activity Related to Unconventional Gas Development and Severity of Preterm Birth. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2018; 126:037006. [PMID: 29578659 PMCID: PMC6071723 DOI: 10.1289/ehp2622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies of unconventional gas development (UGD) and preterm birth (PTB) have not presented risk estimates by well development phase or trimester. OBJECTIVE We examined phase and trimester-specific associations between UGD activity and PTB. METHODS We conducted a case-control study of women with singleton births in the Barnett Shale area, Texas, from 30 November 2010 to 29 November 2012. We individually age- and race/ethnicity-matched five controls to each PTB case (n=13,328) and truncated controls' time at risk according to the matched case's gestational age. We created phase-specific UGD-activity metrics: a) inverse squared distance-weighted (IDW) count of wells in the drilling phase ≤0.5 mi (804.7 meters) of the residence and b) IDW sum of natural gas produced ≤0.5 mi of the residence. We also constructed trimester- and gestation-specific metrics. Metrics were categorized as follows: zero wells (reference), first, second, third tertiles of UGD activity. Analyses were repeated by PTB severity: extreme, very, and moderate (<28, 28 to<32, and 32 to<37 completed weeks). Data were analyzed using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS We found increased odds of PTB in the third tertile of the UGD drilling {odds ratio (OR)=1.20 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 1.37]} and UGD-production [OR=1.15 (1.05, 1.26)] metrics. Among women in the third tertile of UGD-production, associations were strongest in trimesters one [OR=1.18 (1.02, 1.37)] and two [OR=1.14 (0.99, 1.31). The greatest risk was observed for extremely PTB [third tertile ORs: UGD drilling, 2.00 (1.23, 3.24); UGD production, 1.53 (1.03-2.27)]. CONCLUSIONS We found evidence of differences in phase- and trimester-specific associations of UGD and PTB and indication of particular risk associated with extremely preterm birth. Future studies should focus on quantifying specific chemical and nonchemical stressors associated with UGD. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP2622.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Walker Whitworth
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health in San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Amanda Kaye Marshall
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health in San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Elaine Symanski
- Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, USA
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Nielsen CC, Amrhein CG, Osornio-Vargas AR. Mapping outdoor habitat and abnormally small newborns to develop an ambient health hazard index. Int J Health Geogr 2017; 16:43. [PMID: 29183340 PMCID: PMC5704543 DOI: 10.1186/s12942-017-0117-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The geography of where pregnant mothers live is important for understanding outdoor environmental habitat that may result in adverse birth outcomes. We investigated whether more babies were born small for gestational age or low birth weight at term to mothers living in environments with a higher accumulation of outdoor hazards. Methods Live singleton births from the Alberta Perinatal Health Program, 2006–2012, were classified according to birth outcome, and used in a double kernel density estimation to determine ratios of each outcome per total births. Individual and overlay indices of spatial models of 136 air emissions and 18 land variables were correlated with the small for gestational age and low birth weight at term, for the entire province and sub-provincially. Results There were 24 air substances and land sources correlated with both small for gestational age and low birth weight at term density ratios. On the provincial scale, there were 13 air substances and 2 land factors; sub-provincial analysis found 8 additional air substances and 1 land source. Conclusion This study used a combination of multiple outdoor variables over a large geographic area in an objective model, which may be repeated over time or in other study areas. The air substance-weighted index best identified where mothers having abnormally small newborns lived within areas of potential outdoor hazards. However, individual air substances and the weighted index provide complementary information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlene C Nielsen
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, 3-591 ECHA, 11,405 87th Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada
| | - Carl G Amrhein
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Alvaro R Osornio-Vargas
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, 3-591 ECHA, 11,405 87th Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada.
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Maternal residential proximity to unconventional gas development and perinatal outcomes among a diverse urban population in Texas. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180966. [PMID: 28732016 PMCID: PMC5522007 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess associations between unconventional natural gas development (UGD) and perinatal outcomes. METHODS We conducted a retrospective birth cohort study among 158,894 women with a birth or fetal death from November 30, 2010-November 29, 2012 in the Barnett Shale, in North Texas. We constructed three UGD-activity metrics by calculating the inverse distance-weighted sum of active wells within three separate geographic buffers surrounding the maternal residence: ≤½, 2, or 10-miles. We excluded women if the nearest well to her residence was >20 miles. Metrics were categorized by tertiles among women with ≥1 well within the respective buffer; women with zero wells ≤10 miles (the largest buffer) served as a common referent group. We used logistic or linear regression with generalized estimating equations to assess associations between UGD-activity and preterm birth, small-for-gestational age (SGA), fetal death, or birthweight. Adjusted models of fetal death and birthweight included: maternal age, race/ethnicity, education, pre-pregnancy body mass index, parity, smoking, adequacy of prenatal care, previous poor pregnancy outcome, and infant sex. Preterm birth models included all of the above except parity; SGA models included all of the above except previous poor pregnancy outcome. RESULTS We found increased adjusted odds of preterm birth associated with UGD-activity in the highest tertiles of the ½- (odds ratio (OR) = 1.14; 95% confidence interval 1.03, 1.25), 2- (1.14; 1.07, 1.22), and 10-mile (1.15; 1.08, 1.22) metrics. Increased adjusted odds of fetal death were found in the second tertile of the 2-mile metric (1.56; 1.16, 2.11) and the highest tertile of the 10-mile metric (1.34; 1.04-1.72). We found little indication of an association with SGA or term birthweight. CONCLUSIONS Our results are suggestive of an association between maternal residential proximity to UGD-activity and preterm birth and fetal death. Quantifying chemical and non-chemical stressors among residents near UGD should be prioritized.
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Harbi S, Park H, Gregory M, Lopez P, Chiriboga L, Mignatti P. Arrested Development: Infantile Hemangioma and the Stem Cell Teratogenic Hypothesis. Lymphat Res Biol 2017; 15:153-165. [PMID: 28520518 DOI: 10.1089/lrb.2016.0030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early-life programming is defined by the adaptive changes made by the fetus in response to an adverse in utero environment. Infantile hemangioma (IH), a vascular anomaly, is the most common tumor of infancy. Here we take IH as the tumor model to propose the stem cell teratogenic hypothesis of tumorigenesis and the potential involvement of the immune system. OBJECTIVES Teratogenic agents include chemicals, heavy metals, pathogens, and ionizing radiation. To investigate the etiology and pathogenesis of IH, we hypothesized that they result from a teratogenic mechanism. Immature, incompletely differentiated, dysregulated progenitor cells (multipotential stem cells) are arrested in development with vasculogenic, angiogenic, and tumorigenic potential due to exposure to teratogenic agents such as extrinsic factors that disrupt intrinsic factors via molecular mimicry. During the critical period of immunological tolerance, environmental exposure to immunotoxic agents may harness the teratogenic potential in the developing embryo or fetus and modify the early-life programming algorithm by altering normal fetal development, causing malformations, and inducing tumorigenesis. Specifically, exposure to environmental agents may interfere with physiological signaling pathways and contribute to the generation of IH, by several mechanisms. DISCUSSION An adverse in utero environment no longer serves as a sustainable environment for proper embryogenesis and normal development. Targeted disruption of stem cells by extrinsic factors can alter the genetic program. CONCLUSIONS This article offers new perspectives to stimulate discussion, explore novel experimental approaches (such as immunotoxicity/vasculotoxicity assays and novel isogenic models), and to address the questions raised to convert the hypotheses into nontoxic, noninvasive treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hannah Park
- 2 Department of Epidemiology, University of California , Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California
| | - Michael Gregory
- 3 Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine , New York, New York
| | - Peter Lopez
- 3 Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine , New York, New York
| | - Luis Chiriboga
- 3 Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine , New York, New York
| | - Paolo Mignatti
- 4 Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine , New York, New York.,5 Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine , New York, New York
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Whitworth KW, Marshall AK, Symanski E. Maternal residential proximity to unconventional gas development and perinatal outcomes among a diverse urban population in Texas. PLoS One 2017. [PMID: 28732016 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180966]] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess associations between unconventional natural gas development (UGD) and perinatal outcomes. METHODS We conducted a retrospective birth cohort study among 158,894 women with a birth or fetal death from November 30, 2010-November 29, 2012 in the Barnett Shale, in North Texas. We constructed three UGD-activity metrics by calculating the inverse distance-weighted sum of active wells within three separate geographic buffers surrounding the maternal residence: ≤½, 2, or 10-miles. We excluded women if the nearest well to her residence was >20 miles. Metrics were categorized by tertiles among women with ≥1 well within the respective buffer; women with zero wells ≤10 miles (the largest buffer) served as a common referent group. We used logistic or linear regression with generalized estimating equations to assess associations between UGD-activity and preterm birth, small-for-gestational age (SGA), fetal death, or birthweight. Adjusted models of fetal death and birthweight included: maternal age, race/ethnicity, education, pre-pregnancy body mass index, parity, smoking, adequacy of prenatal care, previous poor pregnancy outcome, and infant sex. Preterm birth models included all of the above except parity; SGA models included all of the above except previous poor pregnancy outcome. RESULTS We found increased adjusted odds of preterm birth associated with UGD-activity in the highest tertiles of the ½- (odds ratio (OR) = 1.14; 95% confidence interval 1.03, 1.25), 2- (1.14; 1.07, 1.22), and 10-mile (1.15; 1.08, 1.22) metrics. Increased adjusted odds of fetal death were found in the second tertile of the 2-mile metric (1.56; 1.16, 2.11) and the highest tertile of the 10-mile metric (1.34; 1.04-1.72). We found little indication of an association with SGA or term birthweight. CONCLUSIONS Our results are suggestive of an association between maternal residential proximity to UGD-activity and preterm birth and fetal death. Quantifying chemical and non-chemical stressors among residents near UGD should be prioritized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina W Whitworth
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health in San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
- Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Amanda K Marshall
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health in San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
- Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Elaine Symanski
- Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, United States of America
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan A Casey
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholars Program UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley San Francisco, CA Departments of Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Baltimore, MD Department of Medicine Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Baltimore, MD Center for Health Research Geisinger Health System Danville, PA
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