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McKenzie LM, Allshouse WB, Abrahams B, Tompkins C. Oil and gas development exposure and atrial fibrillation exacerbation: a retrospective study of atrial fibrillation exacerbation using Colorado's all payer claims dataset. FRONTIERS IN EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024; 4:1379271. [PMID: 38962693 PMCID: PMC11220195 DOI: 10.3389/fepid.2024.1379271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Emerging risk factors for atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence and episodes (exacerbation), the most common and clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia, include air and noise pollution, both of which are emitted during oil and natural gas (O&G) well site development. Methods We evaluated AF exacerbation risk and proximity to O&G well site development by employing a novel data source and interrupted time-series design. We retrospectively followed 1,197 AF patients living within 1-mile of an O&G well site (at-risk of exposure) and 9,764 patients living >2 miles from any O&G well site (unexposed) for AF claims in Colorado's All Payer Claims Dataset before, during, and after O&G well site development. We calculated AF exacerbation risk with multi-failure survival analysis. Results The analysis of the total study population does not provide strong evidence of an association between AF exacerbation and proximity to O&G wells sites during (HR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.22) or after (HR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.88, 1.16) development. However, AF exacerbation risk differed by patient age and sex. In patients >80 years living within 0.39 miles (2,059 feet) of O&G well site development, AF exacerbation risk increased by 83% (HR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.25, 2.66) and emergency room visits for an AF event doubled (HR = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.50, 4.36) during development, with risk increasing with proximity. In female patients living within 0.39 miles of O&G well site development, AF exacerbation risk increased by 56% percent (95% CI: 1.13, 2.15) during development. AF exacerbation risk did not persist past the well development period. We did not observe increased AF exacerbation risk in younger or male patients. Discussion The prospect that proximity to O&G well site development, a significant noise and air pollution source, may increase AF exacerbation risk in older and female AF patients requires attention. These findings support appropriate patient education to help mitigate risk and development of mitigation strategies and regulations to protect the health of populations in O&G development regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M. McKenzie
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - William B. Allshouse
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Barbara Abrahams
- Department of Cardiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Christine Tompkins
- Division of Electrophysiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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2
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Baalbaki G, Lim V, Gillet AP, Verner MA, Vaillancourt C, Caron-Beaudoin E, Delbes G. Trace elements alone or in mixtures associated with unconventional natural gas exploitation affect rat fetal steroidogenesis and testicular development in vitro. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 357:124393. [PMID: 38901820 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Biomonitoring studies have shown that pregnant women living in regions of unconventional natural gas (UNG) exploitation have higher levels of trace elements. Whether developmental endocrine disruption can be expected at these exposure levels during pregnancy is unclear. In this study, we aimed to test the impact of five trace elements alone or in mixtures using in vitro cell- and tissue-based assays relevant to endocrine disruption and development. Manganese, aluminum, strontium, barium, and cobalt were tested at concentrations including those representatives of human fetal exposure. Using transactivation assays, none of the tested elements nor their mixture altered the human estrogen receptor 1 or androgen receptor genomic signalling. In the rat fetal testis assay, an organ culture system, cobalt (5 μg/l), barium (500 μg/l) and strontium (500 μg/l) significantly increased testosterone secretion. Cobalt and strontium were associated with hyperplasia and/or hypertrophy of fetal Leydig cells. Mixing the five elements at concentrations where none had an effect individually stimulated testosterone secretion by the rat fetal testis paralleled by the significant increase of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase protein level in comparison to the vehicle control. The mechanisms involved may be specific to the fetal testis as no effect was observed in the steroidogenic H295R cells. Our data suggest that some trace elements in mixture at concentrations representative of human fetal exposure can impact testis development and function. This study highlights the potential risk posed by UNG operations, especially for the most vulnerable populations, pregnant individuals, and their fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghida Baalbaki
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Victoria Lim
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Antoine P Gillet
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Marc-André Verner
- Université de Montréal, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Université de Montréal et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cathy Vaillancourt
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC, Canada; Research Center, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Elyse Caron-Beaudoin
- Department of Health and Society, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Geraldine Delbes
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC, Canada.
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Shaw GM, Gonzalez DJX, Goin DE, Weber KA, Padula AM. Ambient Environment and the Epidemiology of Preterm Birth. Clin Perinatol 2024; 51:361-377. [PMID: 38705646 DOI: 10.1016/j.clp.2024.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB) is associated with substantial mortality and morbidity. We describe environmental factors that may influence PTB risks. We focus on exposures associated with an individual's ambient environment, such as air pollutants, water contaminants, extreme heat, and proximities to point sources (oil/gas development or waste sites) and greenspace. These exposures may further vary by other PTB risk factors such as social constructs and stress. Future examinations of risks associated with ambient environment exposures would benefit from consideration toward multiple exposures - the exposome - and factors that modify risk including variations associated with the structural genome, epigenome, social stressors, and diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary M Shaw
- Epidemiology and Population Health, Obstetrics & Gynecology - Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Center for Academic Medicine (CAM), 453 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94304, USA.
| | - David J X Gonzalez
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, 2121 Berkeley Way, CA 94720, USA
| | - Dana E Goin
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Kari A Weber
- Department of Epidemiology, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Street, RAHN 6219, Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Amy M Padula
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, #103N, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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4
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Aker AM, Friesen M, Ronald LA, Doyle-Waters MM, Takaro TK, Thickson W, Levin K, Meyer U, Caron-Beaudoin E, McGregor MJ. The human health effects of unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD): A scoping review of epidemiologic studies. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH = REVUE CANADIENNE DE SANTE PUBLIQUE 2024; 115:446-467. [PMID: 38457120 PMCID: PMC11133301 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-024-00860-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD, sometimes termed "fracking" or "hydraulic fracturing") is an industrial process to extract methane gas and/or oil deposits. Many chemicals used in UOGD have known adverse human health effects. Canada is a major producer of UOGD-derived gas with wells frequently located in and around rural and Indigenous communities. Our objective was to conduct a scoping review to identify the extent of research evidence assessing UOGD exposure-related health impacts, with an additional focus on Canadian studies. METHODS We included English- or French-language peer-reviewed epidemiologic studies (January 2000-December 2022) which measured exposure to UOGD chemicals directly or by proxy, and where health outcomes were plausibly caused by UOGD-related chemical exposure. Results synthesis was descriptive with results ordered by outcome and hierarchy of methodological approach. SYNTHESIS We identified 52 studies from nine jurisdictions. Only two were set in Canada. A majority (n = 27) used retrospective cohort and case-control designs. Almost half (n = 24) focused on birth outcomes, with a majority (n = 22) reporting one or more significant adverse associations of UOGD exposure with: low birthweight; small for gestational age; preterm birth; and one or more birth defects. Other studies identified adverse impacts including asthma (n = 7), respiratory (n = 13), cardiovascular (n = 6), childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia (n = 2), and all-cause mortality (n = 4). CONCLUSION There is a growing body of research, across different jurisdictions, reporting associations of UOGD with adverse health outcomes. Despite the rapid growth of UOGD, which is often located in remote, rural, and Indigenous communities, Canadian research on its effects on human health is remarkably sparse. There is a pressing need for additional evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira M Aker
- Université Laval, CHU de Quebec - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Michael Friesen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa A Ronald
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mary M Doyle-Waters
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tim K Takaro
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Willow Thickson
- Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Karen Levin
- Emerald Environmental Consulting, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Ulrike Meyer
- Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Elyse Caron-Beaudoin
- Department of Health and Society and 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
| | - Margaret J McGregor
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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Doris M, Daley C, Zalzal J, Chesnaux R, Minet L, Kang M, Caron-Beaudoin É, MacLean HL, Hatzopoulou M. Modelling spatial & temporal variability of air pollution in an area of unconventional natural gas operations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 348:123773. [PMID: 38499172 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Despite the growing unconventional natural gas production industry in northeastern British Columbia, Canada, few studies have explored the air quality implications on human health in nearby communities. Researchers who have worked with pregnant women in this area have found higher levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the indoor air of their homes associated with higher density and closer proximity to gas wells. To inform ongoing exposure assessments, this study develops land use regression (LUR) models to predict ambient air pollution at the homes of pregnant women by using natural gas production activities as predictor variables. Using the existing monitoring network, the models were developed for three temporal scales for 12 air pollutants. The models predicting monthly, bi-annual, and annual mean concentrations explained 23%-94%, 54%-94%, and 73%-91% of the variability in air pollutant concentrations, respectively. These models can be used to investigate associations between prenatal exposure to air pollutants associated with natural gas production and adverse health outcomes in northeastern British Columbia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda Doris
- Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada.
| | - Coreen Daley
- Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Canada.
| | - Jad Zalzal
- Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada.
| | - Romain Chesnaux
- Applied Sciences, University of Quebec at Chicoutimi, Canada.
| | - Laura Minet
- Civil Engineering, University of Victoria, Canada.
| | - Mary Kang
- Civil Engineering, McGill University, Canada.
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Kim H, Festa N, Burrows K, Kim DC, Gill TM, Bell ML. Is residential exposure to oil refineries a novel contextual risk factor for coronary heart disease? ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 244:117965. [PMID: 38123048 PMCID: PMC10928382 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Despite a multi-decade decrease in cardiovascular disease, geographic disparities have widened, with excess mortality concentrated within the United States (U.S.) South. Petroleum production and refining, a major contributor to climate change, is concentrated within the U.S. South and emits multiple classes of atherogenic pollutants. We investigated whether residential exposure to oil refineries could explain variation in self-reported coronary heart disease (CHD) prevalence among adults in southern states for the year 2018, where the majority of oil refinery activity occurs (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma). We examined census tract-level association between oil refineries and CHD prevalence. We used a double matching method to adjust for measured and unmeasured spatial confounders: one-to-n distance matching and one-to-one generalized propensity score matching. Exposure metrics were constructed based on proximity to refineries, activities of refineries, and wind speed/direction. For all census tracts within 10 km of refineries, self-reported CHD prevalence ranged from 1.2% to 17.6%. Compared to census tracts located at ≥5 km and <10 km, one standard deviation increase in the exposure within 5 km of refineries was associated with a 0.33 (95% confidence interval: 0.04, 0.63) percentage point increase in the prevalence. A total of 1119.0 (123.5, 2114.2) prevalent cases or 1.6% (0.2, 3.1) of CHD prevalence in areas within 5 km from refineries were potentially explained by exposure to oil refineries. At the census tract-level, the prevalence of CHD explained by exposure to oil refineries ranged from 0.02% (0.00, 0.05) to 47.4% (5.2, 89.5). Thus, although we cannot rule out potential confounding by other personal risk factors, CHD prevalence was found to be higher in populations living nearer to oil refineries, which may suggest that exposure to oil refineries can increase CHD risk, warranting further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghyok Kim
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Natalia Festa
- National Clinician Scholars Program at Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Kate Burrows
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Dae Cheol Kim
- Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Thomas M Gill
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michelle L Bell
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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7
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Lieberman-Cribbin W, Fang X, Morello-Frosch R, Gonzalez DJ, Hill E, Deziel NC, Buonocore JJ, Casey JA. Multiple Dimensions of Environmental Justice and Oil and Gas Development in Pennsylvania. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (PRINT) 2024; 17:31-44. [PMID: 38389752 PMCID: PMC10880506 DOI: 10.1089/env.2022.0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Background Community socioeconomic deprivation (CSD) may be related to higher oil and natural gas development (OGD) exposure. We tested for distributive and benefit-sharing environmental injustice in Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale by examining (1) whether OGD and waste disposal occurred disproportionately in more deprived communities and (2) discordance between the location of land leased for OGD and where oil and gas rights owners resided. Materials and Methods Analyses took place at the county subdivision level and considered OGD wells, waste disposal, and land lease agreement locations from 2005 to 2019. Using 2005-2009 American Community Survey data, we created a CSD index relevant to community vulnerability in suburban/rural areas. Results In adjusted regression models accounting for spatial dependence, we observed no association between the CSD index and conventional or unconventional drilled well presence. However, a higher CSD index was linearly associated with odds of a subdivision having an OGD waste disposal site and receiving a larger volume of waste. A higher percentage of oil and gas rights owners lived in the same county subdivision as leased land when the community was least versus most deprived (66% vs. 56% in same county subdivision), suggesting that individuals in more deprived communities were less likely to financially benefit from OGD exposure. Discussion and Conclusions We observed distributive environmental injustice with respect to well waste disposal and benefit-sharing environmental injustice related to oil and rights owner's residential locations across Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale. These results add evidence of a disparity between exposure and benefits resulting from OGD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wil Lieberman-Cribbin
- Mr. Wil Lieberman-Cribbin is a doctoral student at Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, USA
| | - Xin Fang
- Ms. Xin Fang is a Research Assistant at Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, USA
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Dr. Rachel Morello-Frosch is a Professor at Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management & School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - David J.X. Gonzalez
- Dr. David J.X. Gonzalez is a postdoctoral fellow at Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management & School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Elaine Hill
- Dr. Elaine Hill is an Associate Professor at Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Nicole C. Deziel
- Dr. Nicole C. Deziel is an Associate Professor at Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jonathan J. Buonocore
- Dr. Jonathan J. Buonocore is a Research Associate at Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joan A. Casey
- Dr. Joan A. Casey is an Assistant Professor at Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, USA
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Gasparyan L, Duc J, Claustre L, Bosson-Rieutort D, Bouchard M, Bouchard MF, Owens-Beek N, West Moberly First Nations Chief And Council, Caron-Beaudoin É, Verner MA. Density and proximity of oil and gas wells and concentrations of trace elements in urine, hair, nails and tap water samples from pregnant individuals living in Northeastern British Columbia. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 184:108398. [PMID: 38237504 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oil and gas exploitation can release several contaminants in the environment, including trace elements, with potentially deleterious effects on exposed pregnant individuals and their developing fetus. Currently, there is limited data on pregnant individuals' exposure to contaminants associated with oil and gas activity. OBJECTIVES We aimed to 1)measure concentrations of trace elements in biological and tap water samples collected from pregnant individuals participating in the EXPERIVA study; 2)compare with reference populations and health-based guidance values; 3)assess correlations across matrices; and 4)evaluate associations with the density/proximity of oil and gas wells. METHODS We collected tap water, hair, nails, and repeated urine samples from 85pregnant individuals, and measured concentrations of 21trace elements. We calculated oil and gas well density/proximity (Inverse Distance Weighting [IDW]) for 4buffer sizes (2.5 km, 5 km, 10 km, no buffer). We performed Spearman's rank correlation analyses to assess the correlations across elements and matrices. We used multiple linear regression models to evaluate the associations between IDWs and concentrations. RESULTS Some study participants had urinary trace element concentrations exceeding the 95th percentile of reference values; 75% of participants for V, 29% for Co, 22% for Ba, and 20% for Mn. For a given trace element, correlation coefficients ranged from -0.23 to 0.65 across matrices; correlations with tap water concentrations were strongest for hair, followed by nails, and urine. Positive (e.g., Cu, Cr, Sr, U, Ga, Ba, Al, Cd) and negative (e.g., Fe) associations were observed between IDW metrics and the concentrations of certain trace elements in water, hair, and nails. SIGNIFICANCE Our results suggest that pregnant individuals living in an area of oil and gas activity may be more exposed to certain trace elements (e.g., Mn, Sr, Co, Ba) than the general population. Association with density/proximity of wells remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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 et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Juliette Duc
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - 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 et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Delphine Bosson-Rieutort
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, School of Public Health, Université 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 et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maryse F Bouchard
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Laval, QC, Canada; Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Élyse Caron-Beaudoin
- Department of Health and Society, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 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 et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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9
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Masoud C, Modi M, Bhattacharyya N, Jahn LG, McPherson KN, Abue P, Patel K, Allen DT, Hildebrandt Ruiz L. High Chlorine Concentrations in an Unconventional Oil and Gas Development Region and Impacts on Atmospheric Chemistry. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:15454-15464. [PMID: 37783466 PMCID: PMC10586373 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Growth in unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) in the United States has increased airborne emissions, raising environmental and human health concerns. To assess the potential impacts on air quality, we deployed instrumentation in Karnes City, Texas, a rural area in the middle of the Eagle Ford Shale. We measured several episodes of elevated Cl2 levels, reaching maximum hourly averages of 800 ppt, the highest inland Cl2 concentration reported to date. Concentrations peak during the day, suggesting a strong local source (given the short photolysis lifetime of Cl2) and/or a photoinitiated production mechanism. Well preproduction activity near the measurement site is a plausible source of these high Cl2 levels via direct emission and photoactive chemistry. ClNO2 is also observed, but it peaks overnight, consistent with well-known nocturnal formation processes. Observations of organochlorines in the gas and particle phases reflect the contribution of chlorine chemistry to the formation of secondary pollutants in the area. Box modeling results suggest that the formation of ozone at this location is influenced by chlorine chemistry. These results suggest that UOGD can be an important source of reactive chlorine in the atmosphere, impacting radical budgets and the formation of secondary pollutants in these regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine
G. Masoud
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Mrinali Modi
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Nirvan Bhattacharyya
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Leif G. Jahn
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Kristi N. McPherson
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Pearl Abue
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Kanan Patel
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - David T. Allen
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Lea Hildebrandt Ruiz
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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Malin SA, Mayer A, Hazboun S. Whose Future, Whose Security?: Unconventional Oil and Gas Extraction and the Economic Vulnerability and Forced Participation of Small-scale Property Owners. RESOURCES POLICY 2023; 86:104197. [PMID: 38883271 PMCID: PMC11173225 DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.104197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Since the 'shale revolution' of the late 2000s, unconventional oil and gas extraction (UOGE) has been hailed by many as a boon for local and regional economies, workers, and property owners. While energy social science has documented many realities that counter this narrative - natural resource dependent economies, 'boom and bust' cycles of the energy industry, and 'resource curse'- there is less research examining economic impacts of UOGE for small-scale property owners. While some large-scale property owners lease their land, minerals, or water rights to oil and gas companies in exchange for royalties, other property owners are not able or do not wish to do so. Yet, nearby UOGE may negatively impact property values and thus threaten people's sense of economic stability. Several legal mechanisms - forced pooling, split estate, and rule of capture - significantly restrict the rights of many property owners while privileging other property rights. While property ownership represents a privileged status, it is the largest investment many Americans will make and is relied upon for retirement planning, financial stability, and transfer of generational wealth. Yet, despite the importance of property ownership, particularly home ownership, little is known about how proximity to oil and gas development impacts small-scale property owners. This paper analyzes how UOGE impacts property owners' sense of economic precarity. We conducted surveys of hundreds of affected households and interviews with 66 property owners in two Colorado towns that have experienced heavy UOGE. We find that the current regulatory regimes disempower small-scale property owners, create economic vulnerability, and ultimately privilege property rights of mineral owners and operators over others - creating uncompensated losses for small-scale property owners. We explore important implications, including the need for more responsive and community-based governance processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A. Malin
- Department of Sociology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Adam Mayer
- Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Shawn Hazboun
- School of Public Policy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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Payne-Sturges DC, Taiwo TK, Ellickson K, Mullen H, Tchangalova N, Anderko L, Chen A, Swanson M. Disparities in Toxic Chemical Exposures and Associated Neurodevelopmental Outcomes: A Scoping Review and Systematic Evidence Map of the Epidemiological Literature. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:96001. [PMID: 37754677 PMCID: PMC10525348 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children are routinely exposed to chemicals known or suspected of harming brain development. Targeting Environmental Neuro-Development Risks (Project TENDR), an alliance of > 50 leading scientists, health professionals, and advocates, is working to protect children from these toxic chemicals and pollutants, especially the disproportionate exposures experienced by children from families with low incomes and families of color. OBJECTIVE This scoping review was initiated to map existing literature on disparities in neurodevelopmental outcomes for U.S. children from population groups who have been historically economically/socially marginalized and exposed to seven exemplar neurotoxicants: combustion-related air pollution (AP), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), organophosphate pesticides (OPs), phthalates (Phth), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). METHODS Systematic literature searches for the seven exemplar chemicals, informed by the Population, Exposure, Comparator, Outcome (PECO) framework, were conducted through 18 November 2022, using PubMed, CINAHL Plus (EBSCO), GreenFILE (EBSCO), and Web of Science sources. We examined these studies regarding authors' conceptualization and operationalization of race, ethnicity, and other indicators of sociodemographic and socioeconomic disadvantage; whether studies presented data on exposure and outcome disparities and the patterns of those disparities; and the evidence of effect modification by or interaction with race and ethnicity. RESULTS Two hundred twelve individual studies met the search criteria and were reviewed, resulting in 218 studies or investigations being included in this review. AP and Pb were the most commonly studied exposures. The most frequently identified neurodevelopmental outcomes were cognitive and behavioral/psychological. Approximately a third (74 studies) reported investigations of interactions or effect modification with 69% (51 of 74 studies) reporting the presence of interactions or effect modification. However, less than half of the studies presented data on disparities in the outcome or the exposure, and fewer conducted formal tests of heterogeneity. Ninety-two percent of the 165 articles that examined race and ethnicity did not provide an explanation of their constructs for these variables, creating an incomplete picture. DISCUSSION As a whole, the studies we reviewed indicated a complex story about how racial and ethnic minority and low-income children may be disproportionately harmed by exposures to neurotoxicants, and this has implications for targeting interventions, policy change, and other necessary investments to eliminate these health disparities. We provide recommendations on improving environmental epidemiological studies on environmental health disparities. To achieve environmental justice and health equity, we recommend concomitant strategies to eradicate both neurotoxic chemical exposures and systems that perpetuate social inequities. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11750.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kristie Ellickson
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Union of Concerned Scientists, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Haley Mullen
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Laura Anderko
- M. Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Aimin Chen
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Gaughan C, Sorrentino KM, Liew Z, Johnson NP, Clark CJ, Soriano M, Plano J, Plata DL, Saiers JE, Deziel NC. Residential proximity to unconventional oil and gas development and birth defects in Ohio. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 229:115937. [PMID: 37076028 PMCID: PMC10198955 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemicals used or emitted by unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) include reproductive/developmental toxicants. Associations between UOGD and certain birth defects were reported in a few studies, with none conducted in Ohio, which experienced a thirty-fold increase in natural gas production between 2010 and 2020. METHODS We conducted a registry-based cohort study of 965,236 live births in Ohio from 2010 to 2017. Birth defects were identified in 4653 individuals using state birth records and a state surveillance system. We assigned UOGD exposure based on maternal residential proximity at birth to active UOG wells and a metric specific to the drinking-water exposure pathway that identified UOG wells hydrologically connected to a residence ("upgradient UOG wells"). We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all structural birth defects combined and specific birth defect types using binary exposure metrics (presence/absence of any UOG well and presence/absence of an upgradient UOG well within 10 km), adjusting for confounders. Additionally, we conducted analyses stratified by urbanicity, infant sex, and social vulnerability. RESULTS The odds of any structural defect were 1.13 times higher in children born to mothers living within 10 km of UOGD than those born to unexposed mothers (95%CI: 0.98-1.30). Odds were elevated for neural tube defects (OR: 1.57, 95%CI: 1.12-2.19), limb reduction defects (OR: 1.99, 95%CI: 1.18-3.35), and spina bifida (OR 1.93; 95%CI 1.25-2.98). Hypospadias (males only) was inversely related to UOGD exposure (OR: 0.62, 95%CI: 0.43-0.91). Odds of any structural defect were greater in magnitude but less precise in analyses using the hydrological-specific metric (OR: 1.30; 95%CI: 0.85-1.90), in areas with high social vulnerability (OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 0.99-1.60), and among female offspring (OR: 1.28, 95%CI: 1.06-1.53). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest a positive association between UOGD and certain birth defects, and findings for neural tube defects corroborate results from prior studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey Gaughan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale College, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Keli M Sorrentino
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Zeyan Liew
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nicholaus P Johnson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Cassandra J Clark
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mario Soriano
- Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Julie Plano
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Desiree L Plata
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James E Saiers
- Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nicole C Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Caron-Beaudoin É, Subramanian A, Daley C, Lakshmanan S, Whitworth KW. Estimation of exposure to particulate matter in pregnant individuals living in an area of unconventional oil and gas operations: Findings from the EXPERIVA study. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2023; 86:383-396. [PMID: 37154018 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2023.2208594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Northeastern British Columbia (Canada) is an area of oil and gas exploitation, which may result in release of fine (PM2.5) and inhalable (PM10) particulate matter. The aims of this study were to: 1) apply extrapolation methods to estimate exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations among EXPERIVA (Exposures in the Peace River Valley study) participants using air quality data archives; and 2) conduct exploratory analyses to investigate correlation between PM exposure and metrics of oil and gas wells density, proximity, and activity. Gestational exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 of the EXPERIVA participants (n = 85) was estimated by averaging the concentrations measured at the closest or three closest air monitoring stations during the pregnancy period. Drilling metrics were calculated based upon the density and proximity of conventional and unconventional oil and gas wells to each participant's residence. Phase-specific metrics were determined for unconventional wells. The correlations (ρ) between exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 and metrics of well density/proximity were determined using Spearman's rank correlation test. Estimated PM ambient air concentrations ranged between 4.73 to 12.13 µg/m3 for PM2.5 and 7.14 to 26.61 µg/m3 for PM10. Conventional wells metrics were more strongly correlated with PM10 estimations (ρ between 0.28 and 0.79). Unconventional wells metrics for all phases were positively correlated with PM2.5 estimations (ρ between 0.23 and 0.55). These results provide evidence of a correlation between density and proximity of oil and gas wells and estimated PM exposure in the EXPERIVA participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Élyse Caron-Beaudoin
- Department of Health and Society, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Amrita Subramanian
- Department of Health and Society, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Coreen Daley
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Siddharthan Lakshmanan
- Department of Health and Society, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kristina W Whitworth
- Department of Medicine, Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Sansom GT, Hernandez R, Johnson JN, Newman G, Atoba K, Masterson JH, Davis D, Fawkes LS. Evaluating the impact of proximity to reported toxic release facilities and flood events on chronic health outcomes in the city of Galena Park, Texas. CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT 2023; 40:100507. [PMID: 37975020 PMCID: PMC10652947 DOI: 10.1016/j.crm.2023.100507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Evidence has conclusively revealed that environmental justice communities experience poor environmental conditions compared to more affluent majority communities. However, there has been little research evaluating the health impacts of immediate proximity to industrial pursuits and flood events on a population compared to others living within the same community who are only marginally removed from these locations. This cross-sectional study (N = 130) utilized three approaches to assess health outcomes (1) the 12 item Short Form Health Survey, which creates a general physical component score, (2) self-reported noncancerous chronic conditions, and (3) self-reported diagnosis of twelve different cancers. Three risk levels were spatially created using a 5-scale ordinal score for each residential parcel based on the corresponding flood probability level and proximity to facilities which report to the United States Environmental Protection Agencies Toxic Release Inventory. Analysis revealed that general physical health scores were significantly lower (P-value < 0.001) in the medium and high-risk locations, Similarly chronic conditions witnessed a non-significant twofold increased risk in the highest-risk locations compared to the lowest (POR 1.91; 95 % CI 0.82-4.39) and a non-significant increased risk of cancer diagnosis (POR 1.51; 95 % CI 0.38-5.99). This research underscores the importance of place and health outcomes even within relatively geographically compact communities. Public health and urban planning interventions and designs should take into account fine grain approaches to respond to community needs while still being mindful of limited resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garett T. Sansom
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M School of Public Health, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Ruby Hernandez
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M School of Public Health, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Jacquita N. Johnson
- Department of Health Promotion, Texas A&M School of Public Health, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Galen Newman
- Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, College of Architecture, Langford Architecture Building 3137, College Station, TX 77840, United States
| | - Kayode Atoba
- Department of Marine & Coastal Environmental Science, Texas A&M University 200 Seawolf Pkwy, Galveston, TX 77554, United States
| | - Jaimie Hicks Masterson
- Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, College of Architecture, Langford Architecture Building 3137, College Station, TX 77840, United States
| | - Deidra Davis
- Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, College of Architecture, Langford Architecture Building 3137, College Station, TX 77840, United States
| | - Leanne S. Fawkes
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M School of Public Health, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, United States
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Underhill V, Fiuza A, Allison G, Poudrier G, Lerman-Sinkoff S, Vera L, Wylie S. Outcomes of the Halliburton Loophole: Chemicals regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act in US fracking disclosures, 2014-2021. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 322:120552. [PMID: 36368552 PMCID: PMC10187986 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120552] [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: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has enabled the United States to lead the world in gas and oil production over the past decade; 17.6 million Americans now live within a mile of an oil or gas well (Czolowski et al., 2017). This major expansion in fossil fuel production is possible in part due to the 2005 Energy Policy Act and its "Halliburton Loophole," which exempts fracking activity from regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). To begin quantifying the environmental and economic impacts of this loophole, this study undertakes an aggregate analysis of chemicals that would otherwise be regulated by SDWA within FracFocus, an industry-sponsored fracking disclosure database. This paper quantifies the total disclosures and total mass of these chemicals used between 2014 and 2021, examines trends in their use, and investigates which companies most use and supply them. We find that 28 SDWA-regulated chemicals are reported in FracFocus, and 62-73% of all disclosures (depending on year) report at least one SDWA-regulated chemical. Of these, 19,700 disclosures report using SDWA-regulated chemicals in masses that exceed their reportable quantities as defined under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Finally, while the most common direct-supplier category is "company name not reported," Halliburton is the second-most named direct supplier of SWDA regulated chemicals. Halliburton is also the supplier most frequently associated with fracks that use SDWA regulated chemicals. These results show the necessity of a more robust and federally mandated disclosure system and suggest the importance of revisiting exemptions such as the Halliburton Loophole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Underhill
- Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute, Northeastern University, USA.
| | - Angelica Fiuza
- Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, USA
| | | | - Grace Poudrier
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Northeastern University, USA
| | | | - Lourdes Vera
- Department of Sociology and Department of Environment and Sustainability, University at Buffalo, USA
| | - Sara Wylie
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology and Department of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, USA
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Han J, Zhang B, Zhang X, Huang K, Fang V, Xu X. Associations between occurrence of birth defects and hydraulic fracturing activities in Barnett shale region, Texas. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15213. [PMID: 37089285 PMCID: PMC10114229 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The impacts of hydraulic fracturing (HF) on birth defects have been suggested by previous studies but remain largely inconclusive. In this study, we assessed whether pregnant women who lived in areas with high HF activities had increased risks of giving birth to offspring with overall or specific birth defects, including atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), microcephaly (MIC), and hydrocephaly without spina bifida (HSB). All live births between 1999 and 2014 among the residents in the four core counties of Denton, Johnson, Tarrant, and Wise in the Barnett Shale region, Texas, were analyzed. Standardized Morbidity Ratio (SMR) and Poisson regressions were applied for statistical analysis. Compared to the statewide risk, the risks of ASD, VSD, and PDA in four selected counties with high HF activities were significantly higher. The Annual Natural Gas Production from HF was significantly correlated with risks of ASD, PDA, MIC, and total birth defect after adjusting for counties and years. No significant associations of HF activities were found with VSD and HSB. This ecological study suggested that hydraulic fracturing might be associated with the increased risk of some birth defects in the Barnett Shale Region, TX, which warrants further investigations due to the limitation of an ecological study design.
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Affiliation(s)
- JeongWon Han
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Bangning Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Ke Huang
- Department of Statistics, College of Science, Texas A&M University, USA
| | - Vixey Fang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Xiaohui Xu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Corresponding author. Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics¸ School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, 225 SPH Administration Building | MS 1266 212 Adriance Lab Road College Station, Texas 77843-1266, USA.
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Willis MD, Cushing LJ, Buonocore JJ, Deziel NC, Casey JA. It's electric! An environmental equity perspective on the lifecycle of our energy sources. Environ Epidemiol 2023; 7:e246. [PMID: 37064423 PMCID: PMC10097546 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Energy policy decisions are driven primarily by economic and reliability considerations, with limited consideration given to public health, environmental justice, and climate change. Moreover, epidemiologic studies relevant for public policy typically focus on immediate public health implications of activities related to energy procurement and generation, considering less so health equity or the longer-term health consequences of climate change attributable to an energy source. A more integrated, collective consideration of these three domains can provide more robust guidance to policymakers, communities, and individuals. Here, we illustrate how these domains can be evaluated with respect to natural gas as an energy source. Our process began with a detailed overview of all relevant steps in the process of extracting, producing, and consuming natural gas. We synthesized existing epidemiologic and complementary evidence of how these processes impact public health, environmental justice, and climate change. We conclude that, in certain domains, natural gas looks beneficial (e.g., economically for some), but when considered more expansively, through the life cycle of natural gas and joint lenses of public health, environmental justice, and climate change, natural gas is rendered an undesirable energy source in the United States. A holistic climate health equity framework can inform how we value and deploy different energy sources in the service of public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary D. Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Lara J. Cushing
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jonathan J. Buonocore
- Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nicole C. Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Joan A. Casey
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington
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Trickey KS, Chen Z, Sanghavi P. Hospitalisations for cardiovascular and respiratory disease among older adults living near unconventional natural gas development: a difference-in-differences analysis. Lancet Planet Health 2023; 7:e187-e196. [PMID: 36889860 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(23)00009-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During 2008-15, the Marcellus shale region of the US state of Pennsylvania experienced a boom in unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) or "fracking". However, despite much public debate, little is known about the effects of UNGD on population health in local communities. Among other mechanisms, air pollution from UNGD might affect individuals living nearby through cardiovascular or respiratory disease, and older adults could be particularly susceptible. METHODS To study the health impacts of Pennsylvania's fracking boom, we exploited the ban on UNGD in neighbouring New York state. Using 2002-15 Medicare claims, we conducted difference-in-differences analyses over multiple timepoints to estimate the risk of living near UNGD for hospitalisation with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis, heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, and stroke among older adults (aged ≥65 years). FINDINGS Pennsylvania ZIP codes that started UNGD in 2008-10 were associated with more hospitalisations for cardiovascular diseases in 2012-15 than would be expected in the absence of UNGD. Specifically, in 2015, we estimated an additional 11·8, 21·6, and 20·4 hospitalisations for AMI, heart failure, and ischaemic heart disease, respectively, per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries. Hospitalisations increased even as UNGD growth slowed. Results were robust in sensitivity analyses. INTERPRETATION Older adults living near UNGD could be at high risk of poor cardiovascular outcomes. Mitigation policies for existing UNGD might be needed to address current and future health risks. Future consideration of UNGD should prioritise local population health. FUNDING University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin S Trickey
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Zihan Chen
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Prachi Sanghavi
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 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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Willis MD, Carozza SE, Hystad P. Congenital anomalies associated with oil and gas development and resource extraction: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Texas. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:84-93. [PMID: 36460921 PMCID: PMC9852077 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00505-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oil and gas extraction-related activities produce air and water pollution that contains known and suspected teratogens. To date, health impacts of in utero exposure to these activities is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE We investigated associations between in utero exposure to oil and gas extraction activity in Texas, one of the highest producers of oil and gas, and congenital anomalies. METHODS We created a population-based birth cohort between 1999 and 2009 with full maternal address at delivery and linked to the statewide congenital anomaly surveillance system (n = 2,234,138 births, 86,315 cases). We examined extraction-related exposures using tertiles of inverse distance-squared weighting within 5 km for drilling site count, gas production, oil production, and produced water. In adjusted logistic regression models, we calculated odds of any congenital anomaly and 10 specific organ sites using two comparison groups: 1) 5 km of future drilling sites that are not yet operating (a priori main models), and 2) 5-10 km of an active well. RESULTS Using the temporal comparison group, we find increased odds of any congenital anomaly in the highest tertile exposure group for site count (OR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.30), oil production (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.12), gas production (1.20; 95% CI: 1.17, 1.23), and produced water (OR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.20). However, associations did not follow a consistent exposure-response pattern across tertiles. Associations are highly attenuated, but still increased, with the spatial comparison group in the highest tertile exposure group. Cardiac and circulatory defects are strongly and consistently associated with all exposure metrics. SIGNIFICANCE Increased odds of congenital anomalies, particularly cardiac and circulatory defects, were associated with exposures related to oil and gas extraction in this large population-based study. Future research is needed to confirm findings, examine specific exposure pathways, and identify potential avenues to reduce exposures among local populations. IMPACT About 5% of the U.S. population (~17.6 million people) resides within 1.6 km of an active oil or gas extraction site, yet the influence of this industry on population health is not fully understood. In this analysis, we examined associations between oil and gas extraction-related exposures and congenital anomalies by organ site using birth certificate and congenital anomaly surveillance data in Texas (1999-2009). Increased odds of congenital anomalies, particularly cardiac and circulatory defects, were associated with exposures related to oil and gas extraction in this large population-based study. Future research is needed to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary D Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
| | - Susan E Carozza
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Perry Hystad
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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21
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Gonzalez DJX, Nardone A, Nguyen AV, Morello-Frosch R, Casey JA. Historic redlining and the siting of oil and gas wells in the United States. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:76-83. [PMID: 35418707 PMCID: PMC9556657 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00434-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The presence of active or inactive (i.e., postproduction) oil and gas wells in neighborhoods may contribute to ongoing pollution. Racially discriminatory neighborhood security maps developed by the Home-Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) in the 1930s may contribute to environmental exposure disparities. OBJECTIVE To determine whether receiving worse HOLC grades was associated with exposure to more oil and gas wells. METHODS We assessed exposure to oil and gas wells among HOLC-graded neighborhoods in 33 cities from 13 states where urban oil and gas wells were drilled and operated. Among the 17 cities for which 1940 census data were available, we used propensity score restriction and matching to compare well exposure neighborhoods that were similar on observed 1940 sociodemographic characteristics but that received different grades. RESULTS Across all included cities, redlined D-graded neighborhoods had 12.2 ± 27.2 wells km-2, nearly twice the density in neighborhoods graded A (6.8 ± 8.9 wells km-2). In propensity score restricted and matched analyses, redlined neighborhoods had 2.0 (1.3, 2.7) more wells than comparable neighborhoods with a better grade. SIGNIFICANCE Our study adds to the evidence that structural racism in federal policy is associated with the disproportionate siting of oil and gas wells in marginalized neighborhoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J X Gonzalez
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Anthony Nardone
- University of California (UC) Berkeley-UC San Francisco (UCSF) Joint Medical Program, UC Berkeley School of Public Health and UCSF School of Medicine, Berkeley and San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew V Nguyen
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joan A Casey
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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The Risk of Orofacial Cleft Lip/Palate Due to Maternal Ambient Air Pollution Exposure: A Call for Further Research in South Africa. Ann Glob Health 2023; 89:6. [PMID: 36743286 PMCID: PMC9881443 DOI: 10.5334/aogh.4007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite being underreported, orofacial cleft lip/palate (CLP) remains in the top five of South Africa's most common congenital disorders. Maternal air pollution exposure has been associated with CLP in neonates. South Africa has high air pollution levels due to domestic burning practices, coal-fired power plants, mining, industry, and traffic pollution, among other sources. We investigated air pollutant levels in geographic locations of CLP cases. Methods In a retrospective case series study (2006-2020) from a combined dataset by a Gauteng surgeon and South African Operation Smile, the maternal address at pregnancy was obtained for 2,515 CLP cases. Data from the South African Air Quality Information System was used to calculate annual averages of particulate matter (PM) concentrations of particles < 10 µm (PM10) and < 2.5 µm (PM2.5). Correlation analysis determined the relationship between average PM2.5/PM10 concentrations and CLP birth prevalence. Hotspot analysis was done using the Average Nearest Neighbor tool in ArcGIS. Results Correlation analysis showed an increasing trend of CLP birth prevalence to PM10 (CC = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.38-0.77, p < 0.001) and PM2.5 (CC = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.42-0.77, p < 0.001). Hot spot analysis revealed that areas with higher concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 had a higher proclivity for maternal residence (z-score = -68.2, p < 0.001). CLP birth prevalence hotspot clusters were identified in district municipalities in the provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo, North-West, Mpumalanga, and Free State. KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape had lower PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations and were cold spot clusters. Conclusions Maternal exposure to air pollution is known to impact the fetal environment and increase CLP risk. We discovered enough evidence of an effect to warrant further investigation. We advocate for a concerted effort by the government, physicians, researchers, non-government organizations working with CLP patients, and others to collect quality data on all maternal information and pollutant levels in all provinces of South Africa. Collaboration and data sharing for additional research will help us better understand the impact of air pollution on CLP in South Africa.
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Mendrinos A, Ramesh B, Ruktanonchai CW, Gohlke JM. Poultry Concentrated Animal-Feeding Operations on the Eastern Shore, Virginia, and Geospatial Associations with Adverse Birth Outcomes. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10102016. [PMID: 36292462 PMCID: PMC9602095 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10102016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Concentrated animal-feeding operations (CAFOs) emit pollution into surrounding areas, and previous research has found associations with poor health outcomes. The objective of this study was to investigate if home proximity to poultry CAFOs during pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW). This study includes births occurring on the Eastern Shore, Virginia, from 2002 to 2015 (N = 5768). A buffer model considering CAFOs within 1 km, 2 km, and 5 km of the maternal residence and an inverse distance weighted (IDW) approach were used to estimate proximity to CAFOs. Associations between proximity to poultry CAFOs and adverse birth outcomes were determined by using regression models, adjusting for available covariates. We found a −52.8 g (−95.8, −9.8) change in birthweight and a −1.51 (−2.78, −0.25) change in gestational days for the highest tertile of inverse distance to CAFOs. Infants born with a maternal residence with at least one CAFO within a 5 km buffer weighed −47 g (−94.1, −1.7) less than infants with no CAFOs within a 5 km buffer of the maternal address. More specific measures of exposure pathways via air and water should be used in future studies to refine mediators of the association found in the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Mendrinos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Balaji Ramesh
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Corrine W. Ruktanonchai
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Julia M. Gohlke
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
- Correspondence:
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Deziel NC, Clark CJ, Casey JA, Bell ML, Plata DL, Saiers JE. Assessing Exposure to Unconventional Oil and Gas Development: Strengths, Challenges, and Implications for Epidemiologic Research. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:436-450. [PMID: 35522388 PMCID: PMC9363472 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00358-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Epidemiologic studies have observed elevated health risks in populations living near unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD). In this narrative review, we discuss strengths and limitations of UOG exposure assessment approaches used in or available for epidemiologic studies, emphasizing studies of children's health outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS Exposure assessment challenges include (1) numerous potential stressors with distinct spatiotemporal patterns, (2) critical exposure windows that cover long periods and occur in the past, and (3) limited existing monitoring data coupled with the resource-intensiveness of collecting new exposure measurements to capture spatiotemporal variation. All epidemiologic studies used proximity-based models for exposure assessment as opposed to surveys, biomonitoring, or environmental measurements. Nearly all studies used aggregate (rather than pathway-specific) models, which are useful surrogates for the complex mix of potential hazards. Simple and less-specific exposure assessment approaches have benefits in terms of scalability, interpretability, and relevance to specific policy initiatives such as set-back distances. More detailed and specific models and metrics, including dispersion methods and stressor-specific models, could reduce exposure misclassification, illuminate underlying exposure pathways, and inform emission control and exposure mitigation strategies. While less practical in a large population, collection of multi-media environmental and biological exposure measurements would be feasible in cohort subsets. Such assessments are well-suited to provide insights into the presence and magnitude of exposures to UOG-related stressors in relation to spatial surrogates and to better elucidate the plausibility of observed effects in both children and adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C. Deziel
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Cassandra J. Clark
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Joan A. Casey
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 630 West 168th Street, Room 16-416, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Michelle L. Bell
- Yale School of the Environment, 195 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06511 USA
| | - Desiree L. Plata
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Parsons Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 15 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - James E. Saiers
- Yale School of the Environment, 195 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06511 USA
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Miao Q, Dunn S, Wen SW, Lougheed J, Sharif F, Walker M. Associations of congenital heart disease with deprivation index by rural-urban maternal residence: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada. BMC Pediatr 2022; 22:476. [PMID: 35931992 PMCID: PMC9356510 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03498-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The risk of congenital heart disease (CHD) has been found to vary by maternal socioeconomic status (SES) and rural-urban residence. In this study, we examined associations of CHD with two maternal SES indicators and stratified the analysis by maternal rural-urban residence. METHODS This was a population-based retrospective cohort study. We included all singleton stillbirths and live hospital births from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2018 in Ontario, Canada. We linked the BORN Information System and Canadian Institute for Health Information databases. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine associations of CHD with material deprivation index (MDI), social deprivation index (SDI), and maternal residence while adjusting for maternal age at birth, assisted reproductive technology, obesity, pre-pregnancy maternal health conditions, mental health illness before and during pregnancy, substance use during pregnancy, and infant's sex. MDI and SDI were estimated at a dissemination area level in Ontario and were categorized into quintiles (Q1-Q5). RESULTS This cohort study included 798,173 singletons. In maternal urban residence, the p trend (Cochran-Armitage test) was less than 0.0001 for both MDI and SDI; while for rural residence, it was 0.002 and 0.98, respectively. Infants living in the most materially deprived neighbourhoods (MDI Q5) had higher odds of CHD (aOR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.12-1.29) compared to Q1. Similarly, infants living in the most socially deprived neighbourhoods (SDI Q5) had an 18% increase in the odds of CHD (aOR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.1-1.26) compared to Q1. Rural infants had a 13% increase in the odds of CHD compared to their urban counterparts. After stratifying by maternal rural-urban residence, we still detected higher odds of CHD with two indices in urban residence but only MDI in rural residence. CONCLUSION Higher material and social deprivation and rural residence were associated with higher odds of CHD. Health interventions and policies should reinforce the need for optimal care for all families, particularly underprivileged families in both rural and urban regions. Future studies should further investigate the effect of social deprivation on the risk of CHD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Miao
- BORN Ontario, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. .,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. .,School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Canada.
| | - Sandra Dunn
- BORN Ontario, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,OMNI Research Group, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.,School of Nursing, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shi Wu Wen
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Canada.,OMNI Research Group, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jane Lougheed
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fayza Sharif
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Mark Walker
- BORN Ontario, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Canada.,OMNI Research Group, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Canada
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26
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Calderon JL, Sorensen C, Lemery J, Workman CF, Linstadt H, Bazilian MD. Managing upstream oil and gas emissions: A public health oriented approach. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 310:114766. [PMID: 35228168 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Oil and natural gas are the largest primary global energy sources, and upstream gas emissions from these fuels can impact global climate change and local public health. This paper employs a public health-oriented perspective that reviews grey and academic literature, industry data, technical reports, and policy trends to highlight issues of emissions monitoring. We identify gaps in the existing landscape of emissions reduction strategies and highlight options for addressing them. Policy recommendations include the use of new digital monitoring technologies to better understand causes of emission events, to create data-driven oil and gas regulations, and to begin accurately measuring the volumes of gases released during oil and gas production. Areas for future research relating to emissions and public health impacts are outlined to further enable oil and gas policy discussions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan L Calderon
- The Payne Institute for Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines, 816 15th St, Golden, CO, USA.
| | - C Sorensen
- School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 13001 East 17th Place, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - J Lemery
- School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 13001 East 17th Place, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - C F Workman
- The Payne Institute for Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines, 816 15th St, Golden, CO, USA
| | - H Linstadt
- School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 13001 East 17th Place, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - M D Bazilian
- The Payne Institute for Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines, 816 15th St, Golden, CO, USA
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Proximity and density of unconventional natural gas wells and mental illness and substance use among pregnant individuals: An exploratory study in Canada. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2022; 242:113962. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.113962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Plante I, Winn LM, Vaillancourt C, Grigorova P, Parent L. Killing two birds with one stone: Pregnancy is a sensitive window for endocrine effects on both the mother and the fetus. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 205:112435. [PMID: 34843719 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Pregnancy is a complex process requiring tremendous physiological changes in the mother in order to fulfill the needs of the growing fetus, and to give birth, expel the placenta and nurse the newborn. These physiological modifications are accompanied with psychological changes, as well as with variations in habits and behaviors. As a result, this period of life is considered as a sensitive window as impaired functional and physiological changes in the mother can have short- and long-term impacts on her health. In addition, dysregulation of the placenta and of mechanisms governing placentation have been linked to chronic diseases later-on in life for the fetus, in a concept known as the Developmental Origin of Health and Diseases (DOHaD). This concept stipulates that any change in the environment during the pre-conception and perinatal (in utero life and neonatal) period to puberty, can be "imprinted" in the organism, thereby impacting the health and risk of chronic diseases later in life. Pregnancy is a succession of events that is regulated, in large part, by hormones and growth factors. Therefore, small changes in hormonal balance can have important effects on both the mother and the developing fetus. An increasing number of studies demonstrate that exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) affect both the mother and the fetus giving rise to growing concerns surrounding these exposures. This review will give an overview of changes that happen during pregnancy with respect to the mother, the placenta, and the fetus, and of the current literature regarding the effects of EDCs during this specific sensitive window of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Plante
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC, Canada.
| | - Louise M Winn
- Queen's University, School of Environmental Studies, Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | | | - Petya Grigorova
- Département Science et Technologie, Université TELUQ, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Lise Parent
- Département Science et Technologie, Université TELUQ, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Exposure to oil pollution and maternal outcomes: The Niger Delta prospective cohort study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263495. [PMID: 35235569 PMCID: PMC9090450 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Maternal exposure to oil pollution is an important public health concern.
However, there is a dearth of literature on the effects of maternal exposure
to oil pollution on maternal outcomes in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
This study was therefore designed to determine the effect of maternal
exposure to oil pollution on maternal outcomes in the Niger Delta region of
Nigeria. Methods Prospective cohort study design involving 1720 pregnant women followed from
pregnancy to delivery was conducted. The participants were 18–45 years old
at a gestational age of less than 17 weeks, who attended randomly selected
health facilities in the areas with high exposure and low exposure to oil
pollution in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Data were collected using an
interviewer-administered questionnaire and review of medical records from
April 2018 to April 2019. Multivariate log-binomial model was used to
examine the effect of maternal exposure to oil pollution on the risk of
adverse maternal outcomes adjusting for sociodemographic, maternal and
lifestyle characteristics. Results A total of 1418 women completed the follow-up and were included in the
analysis. Women in high exposure areas had a higher incidence of premature
rupture of membrane (PROM), caesarean section (CS) and postpartum
haemorrhage (PPH) compared to women in areas with low exposure to oil
pollution. After adjusting for cofounders, women in high exposure areas also
had a higher risk of PROM (ARR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.24–3.10) and PPH (ARR =
2.12; 95% CI: 1.28–3.36) in Model I–III when compared to women in areas with
low exposure to oil pollution. However, pregnancy-induced hypertension and
CS had no association with maternal exposure area status to oil
pollution. Conclusion Women in high exposure areas are at a higher risk of PROM and PPH. This calls
for policies and intervention toward reducing maternal exposure to oil
pollution in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
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Helmig D, Fangmeyer J, Fuchs J, Hueber J, Smith K. Evaluation of selected solid adsorbents for passive sampling of atmospheric oil and natural gas non-methane hydrocarbons. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2022; 72:235-255. [PMID: 34738882 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2021.2000518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This project investigated passive adsorbent sampling of light (C2-C5) hydrocarbons which are sensitive tracers of fugitive emissions from oil and natural gas (O&NG) sources. Stronger adsorbent materials, i.e. Carboxen 1000 and Carboxen 1016, than those typically used in adsorbent sampling were considered. Experiments were conducted in laboratory and field settings using thermal desorption - gas chromatography analysis. Uptake of water vapor and system blanks were challenges inherent to the increased affinity of these adsorbents. Carboxen 1000 exhibited the best signal-to-noise ratio for the target compounds after optimizing conditioning parameters to reduce blanks, and by reducing the adsorbent mass loaded in the cartridge. This strategy reduced blanks to equivalent ambient air mole fractions of <0.05 nmol mol-1 (ppb), and allowed determination of these O&NG tracers over three-day sampling intervals with a lower detection limit of ≥0.5-1 ppb. Linear VOCs uptake was observed in dry air. Water uptake was as high as 0.65 gH2O g-1adsorbent at relative humidity (RH) above ≈ 75%. The water collection passivates adsorbent sites and competes with the uptake rates of VOCs; under the worst case relative humidity level of 95% RH, VOCs uptake rates dropped to 27-39% of those in dry air. This effect potentially causes results to be biased low when cartridges are deployed at high relative humidity (RH), including overnight, when RH is often elevated over daytime levels. Nonetheless, representative sampling results were obtained under ambient conditions during three field studies where cartridges were evaluated alongside whole air sample collection in canisters. Agreement varied by compound: Ethane and alkenes correlated poorly and could not be analyzed with satisfactory results; results for C3-C5 alkanes were much better: i-butane correlated with R2 > 0.5, and propane, n-butane, i-pentane, and n-pentane with R2 > 0.75, which demonstrates the feasibility of the passive sampling of these latter O&NG tracers. Implications: Oil and natural gas development has been associated with emissions of petroleum hydrocarbons that impact air quality and human health. This research characterizes and defines the application possibilities of solid adsorbent sampling for atmospheric passive sampling monitoring of low molecular weight volatile organic compounds (i.e. ethane through pentane isomers) that are most commonly emitted from natural gas drilling and well sites. The passive sampling of these pollutants offers a simple, low cost, and readily applicable monitoring method for assessing emissions and air quality impacts in the surroundings of oil and gas operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Detlev Helmig
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Boulder A.I.R. LLC, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Jens Fangmeyer
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Joshua Fuchs
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Jacques Hueber
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Kate Smith
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, UK
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Gonzalez DJX, Francis CK, Shaw GM, Cullen MR, Baiocchi M, Burke M. Upstream oil and gas production and ambient air pollution in California. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150298. [PMID: 34844318 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior studies have found that residential proximity to upstream oil and gas production is associated with increased risk of adverse health outcomes. Emissions of ambient air pollutants from oil and gas wells in the preproduction and production stages have been proposed as conferring risk of adverse health effects, but the extent of air pollutant emissions and resulting nearby pollution concentrations from wells is not clear. OBJECTIVES We examined the effects of upstream oil and gas preproduction (count of drilling sites) and production (total volume of oil and gas) activities on concentrations of five ambient air pollutants in California. METHODS We obtained data on approximately 1 million daily observations from 314 monitors in the EPA Air Quality System, 2006-2019, including daily concentrations of five routinely monitored ambient air pollutants: PM2.5, CO, NO2, O3, and VOCs. We obtained data on preproduction and production operations from Enverus and the California Geographic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) for all wells in the state. For each monitor and each day, we assessed exposure to upwind preproduction wells and total oil and gas production volume within 10 km. We used a panel regression approach in the analysis and fit adjusted fixed effects linear regression models for each pollutant, controlling for geographic, seasonal, temporal, and meteorological factors. RESULTS We observed higher concentrations of PM2.5 and CO at monitors within 3 km of preproduction wells, NO2 at monitors at 1-2 km, and O3 at 2-4 km from the wells. Monitors with proximity to increased production volume observed higher concentrations of PM2.5, NO2, and VOCs within 1 km and higher O3 concentrations at 1-2 km. Results were robust to sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION Adjusting for geographic, meteorological, seasonal, and time-trending factors, we observed higher concentrations of ambient air pollutants at air quality monitors in proximity to preproduction wells within 4 km and producing wells within 2 km.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J X Gonzalez
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Christina K Francis
- Program in Environmental Science and Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gary M Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mark R Cullen
- Founding Director of the Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences, USA
| | - Michael Baiocchi
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marshall Burke
- Department of Earth System Science, School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Caron-Beaudoin É, Whyte KP, Bouchard MF, Chevrier J, Haddad S, Copes R, Frohlich KL, Dokkie D, Juul S, Bouchard M, Verner MA. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air and tap water samples in residences of pregnant women living in an area of unconventional natural gas operations: Findings from the EXPERIVA study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 805:150242. [PMID: 34818775 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Northeastern British Columbia (Canada) is an area of unconventional natural gas (UNG) exploitation by hydraulic fracturing, which can release several contaminants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To evaluate gestational exposure to contaminants in this region, we undertook the Exposures in the Peace River Valley (EXPERIVA) study. OBJECTIVES We aimed to: 1) measure VOCs in residential indoor air and tap water from EXPERIVA participants; 2) compare concentrations with those in the general population and explore differences related to sociodemographic and housing characteristics; and 3) determine associations between VOC concentrations and density/proximity to UNG wells. METHODS Eighty-five pregnant women participated. Passive air samplers were analyzed for 47 VOCs, and tap water samples were analyzed for 44 VOCs. VOC concentrations were compared with those from the Canadian Health Measure Survey (CHMS). We assessed the association between different metrics of well density/proximity and indoor air and tap water VOC concentrations using multiple linear regression. RESULTS 40 VOCs were detected in >50% of air samples, whereas only 4 VOCs were detected in >50% of water samples. We observed indoor air concentrations >95th percentile of CHMS in 10-60% of samples for several compounds (acetone, 2-methyl-2-propanol, chloroform, 1,4-dioxane, hexanal, m/p-xylene, o-xylene, styrene, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, dodecane and decanal). Indoor air levels of chloroform and tap water levels of total trihalomethanes were higher in Indigenous participants compared to non-Indigenous participants. Indoor air levels of chloroform and acetone, and tap water levels of total trihalomethanes were positively associated with UNG wells density/proximity metrics. Indoor air BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) levels were positively correlated with some well density/proximity metrics. CONCLUSION Our results suggest higher exposure to certain VOCs in pregnant women living in an area of intense unconventional natural gas exploitation compared with the general Canadian population, and that well density/proximity is associated with increased exposure to certain VOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Élyse Caron-Beaudoin
- Department of Health and Society, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Ontario, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Kyle Powys Whyte
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, MI, USA
| | - Maryse F Bouchard
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada; CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Québec, Canada
| | - Sami Haddad
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS Du Centre-Sud-de-l'île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Ray Copes
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Katherine L Frohlich
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Dean Dokkie
- West Moberly First Nations, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sonje Juul
- Cumming School of Medicine, Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Michèle Bouchard
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS Du Centre-Sud-de-l'île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Marc-André Verner
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS Du Centre-Sud-de-l'île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
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Zhang CH, Sears L, Myers JV, Brock GN, Sears CG, Zierold KM. Proximity to coal-fired power plants and neurobehavioral symptoms in children. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 32:124-134. [PMID: 34257388 PMCID: PMC8275639 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-021-00369-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coal-fired power plants are a major source of air pollution that can impact children's health. Limited research has explored if proximity to coal-fired power plants contributes to children's neurobehavioral disorders. OBJECTIVE This community-based study collected primary data to investigate the relationships of residential proximity to power plants and neurobehavioral problems in children. METHODS 235 participants aged 6-14 years who lived within 10 miles of two power plants were recruited. Exposure to particulate matter ≤10 μm (PM10) was measured in children's homes using personal modular impactors. Neurobehavioral symptoms were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Multiple regression models were performed to test the hypothesized associations between proximity/exposure and neurobehavioral symptoms. Geospatial statistical methods were used to map the spatial patterns of exposure and neurobehavioral symptoms. RESULTS A small proportion of the variations of neurobehavioral problems (social problems, affective problems, and anxiety problems) were explained by the regression models in which distance to power plants, traffic proximity, and neighborhood poverty was statistically associated with the neurobehavioral health outcomes. Statistically significant hot spots of participants who had elevated levels of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, and social problems were observed in the vicinity of the two power plants. SIGNIFICANCE Results of this study suggest an adverse impact of proximity to power plants on children's neurobehavioral health. Although coal-fired power plants are being phased out in the US, health concern about exposure from coal ash storage facilities remains. Furthermore, other countries in the world are increasing coal use and generating millions of tons of pollutants and coal ash. Findings from this study can inform public health policies to reduce children's risk of neurobehavioral symptoms in relation to proximity to power plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlie H Zhang
- Department of Geography & Geosciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Lonnie Sears
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - John V Myers
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Guy N Brock
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Clara G Sears
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Kristina M Zierold
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Residential proximity to hydraulically fractured oil and gas wells and adverse birth outcomes in urban and rural communities in California (2006-2015). Environ Epidemiol 2021; 5:e172. [PMID: 34909552 PMCID: PMC8663888 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: Prenatal exposure to hydraulic fracturing (HF), a chemically intensive oil and gas extraction method, may be associated with adverse birth outcomes, but no health studies have been conducted in California. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 979,961 births to mothers in eight California counties with HF between 2006 and 2015. Exposed individuals had at least 1 well hydraulically fractured within 1 km of their residence during pregnancy; the reference population had no wells within 1 km, but at least one oil/gas well within 10 km. We examined associations between HF and low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB), small for gestational age birth (SGA), and term birth weight (tBW) using generalized estimating equations and assessing urban-rural effect modification in stratified models. Results: Fewer than 1% of mothers (N = 1,192) were exposed to HF during pregnancy. Among rural mothers, HF exposure was associated with increased odds of LBW (odds ratio [OR] = 1.74; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10, 2.75), SGA (OR = 1.68; 95% CI = 1.42, 2.27) and PTB (OR = 1.17; 95% CI = 0.64, 2.12), and lower tBW (mean difference: –73 g; 95% CI = –131, –15). Among urban mothers, HF exposure was positively associated with SGA (OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 0.98, 1.55), inversely associated with LBW (OR = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.63, 1.07) and PTB (OR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.48, 0.87), and not associated with tBW (mean difference: –2 g; 95% CI = –35, 31). Conclusion: HF proximity was associated with adverse birth outcomes, particularly among rural Californians.
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Willis MD, Hill EL, Kile ML, Carozza S, Hystad P. Associations between residential proximity to oil and gas extraction and hypertensive conditions during pregnancy: a difference-in-differences analysis in Texas, 1996-2009. Int J Epidemiol 2021; 51:525-536. [PMID: 34897479 PMCID: PMC9082796 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyab246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oil and gas extraction produces air pollutants that are associated with increased risks of hypertension. To date, no study has examined residential proximity to oil and gas extraction and hypertensive conditions during pregnancy. This study quantifies associations between residential proximity to oil and gas development on gestational hypertension and eclampsia. METHODS We utilized a population-based retrospective birth cohort in Texas (1996-2009), where mothers reside <10 km from an active or future drilling site (n = 2 845 144.) Using full-address data, we linked each maternal residence at delivery to assign exposure and evaluate this exposure with respect to gestational hypertension and eclampsia. In a difference-in-differences framework, we model the interaction between maternal health before (unexposed) or after (exposed) the start of drilling activity (exposed) and residential proximity near (0-1, >1-2 or >2-3 km) or far (≥3-10 km) from an active or future drilling site. RESULTS Among pregnant women residing 0-1 km from an active oil or gas extraction site, we estimate 5% increased odds of gestational hypertension [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00, 1.10] and 26% increased odds of eclampsia (95% CI: 1.05, 1.51) in adjusted models. This association dissipates in the 1- to 3-km buffer zones. In restricted models, we find elevated odds ratios among maternal ages ≤35 years at delivery, maternal non-Hispanic White race, ≥30 lbs gained during pregnancy, nulliparous mothers and maternal educational attainment beyond high school. CONCLUSIONS Living within 1 km of an oil or gas extraction site during pregnancy is associated with increased odds of hypertensive conditions during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary D Willis
- Corresponding author. 160 SW 26th St, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. E-mail:
| | - Elaine L Hill
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Molly L Kile
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Susan Carozza
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Perry Hystad
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 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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O'Dell CT, Boule LA, Robert J, Georas SN, Eliseeva S, Lawrence BP. Exposure to a mixture of 23 chemicals associated with unconventional oil and gas operations alters immune response to challenge in adult mice. J Immunotoxicol 2021; 18:105-117. [PMID: 34455897 DOI: 10.1080/1547691x.2021.1965677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) operations raises concerns regarding the potential for adverse health outcomes following exposure to water tainted by mixtures of UOG associated chemicals. The potential effects that exposure to complex chemical mixtures has on the immune system have yet to be fully evaluated. In this study, effects on the immune system of adult mice exposed to a mixture of 23 chemicals that have been associated with water near active UOG operations were investigated. Female and male mice were exposed to the mixture via their drinking water for at least 8 weeks. At the end of the exposure, cellularity of primary and secondary immune organs, as well as an immune system function, were assessed using three different models of disease, i.e. house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic airway disease, influenza A virus infection, and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The results indicated exposures resulted in different impacts on T-cell populations in each disease model. Furthermore, the consequences of exposure differed between female and male mice. Notably, exposure to the chemical mixture significantly increased EAE disease severity in females, but not in male, mice. These findings indicated that direct exposure to this mixture leads to multiple alterations in T-cell subsets and that these alterations differ between sexes. This suggested to us that direct exposure to UOG-associated chemicals may alter the adult immune system, leading to dysregulation in immune cellularity and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen T O'Dell
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Lisbeth A Boule
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Jacques Robert
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Steve N Georas
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Sophia Eliseeva
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - B Paige Lawrence
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
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Berger F, Blum P. Who owns the German subsurface? Ownership and sustainable governance of the subsurface in Germany. ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY 2021; 24:2962-2981. [PMID: 34305444 PMCID: PMC8285680 DOI: 10.1007/s10668-021-01530-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In 1980, the Federal Mining Act was introduced to govern the use of the German subsurface. By paying royalties, companies can get permission to exploit resources. Yet, there is no official report breaking down the payments for hydrocarbons and lignite, in particular regarding the effectively levied fees. Hence, the objective of this study is to provide an overview of the ownership and paid royalties, and to discuss the sustainable use and management of the German subsurface in the face of ecological, social, and economic impacts of resource exploitation. Our analysis shows that the subsurface is partly state- and partly company-owned. Lignite is almost exclusively privately owned by two companies. In contrast, hydrocarbons are predominantly state-owned. In 2017, on average 13% was paid in royalties for gas and 11% for petroleum. These royalties have minor impact on state budgets. For instance, in the concerned state of Lower Saxony, the levies amount to 189 million € or 0.6% of the state budget. Thus, the state income from royalties is low. However, local communities and property owners have no financial benefits. Finally, to obtain a more sustainable use of subsurface, the current Federal Mining Act must be adapted to account for environmental and social impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Berger
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Applied Geosciences (AGW), Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Philipp Blum
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Applied Geosciences (AGW), Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
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Okorn K, Jimenez A, Collier-Oxandale A, Johnston J, Hannigan M. Characterizing methane and total non-methane hydrocarbon levels in Los Angeles communities with oil and gas facilities using air quality monitors. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 777:146194. [PMID: 34602658 PMCID: PMC8485894 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decade, sensor networks have been proven valuable to assess air quality on highly localized scales. Here we leverage innovative sensors to characterize gaseous pollutants in a complex urban environment and evaluate differences in air quality in three different Los Angeles neighborhoods where oil and gas activity is present. We deployed monitors across urban neighborhoods in South Los Angles adjacent to oil and gas facilities with varying levels of production. Using low-cost sensors built in-house, we measured methane, total non-methane hydrocarbons (TNMHCs), carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide during three deployment campaigns over four years. The multi-sensor linear regression calibration model developed to quantify methane and TNMHCs offers up to 16% improvement in coefficient of determination and up to a 22% reduction in root mean square error for the most recent dataset as compared to previous models. The deployment results demonstrate that airborne methane concentrations are higher within a 500 m radius of three urban oil and gas facilities, as well as near a natural gas distribution pipeline, likely a result of proximity to sources. While there are numerous additional sources of TNMHCs in complex urban environments, some sites appear to be larger emitters than others. Significant methane emissions were also measured at an idle site, suggesting that fugitive emissions may still occur even if production is ceased. Episodic spikes of both compounds suggested an association with oil and gas activities, demonstrating how sensor networks can be used to elucidate community-scale sources and differences in air quality moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Okorn
- Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Correspondence: , P: (303) 735-8054, A: 1111 Engineering Dr., Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Amanda Jimenez
- Preventative Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | | | - Jill Johnston
- Preventative Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Michael Hannigan
- Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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Tang IW, Langlois PH, Vieira VM. A spatial analysis of birth defects in Texas, 1999-2011. Birth Defects Res 2021; 113:1229-1244. [PMID: 34240569 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The etiologies of major birth defects are still unclear and few spatial analyses have been conducted in the United States. Spatial analyses of individual-level data can help elucidate environmental and social risk factors. METHODS We used generalized additive models to analyze 52,955 cases of neural tube defects, congenital heart defects (CHDs), gastroschisis, and orofacial cleft defects, and sampled from 642,399 controls born between 1999 and 2011 in Texas. The effect of geographic location was measured using a bivariable smooth term of geocoded birth address within a logistic regression framework. We calculated and mapped odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for birth defects subtypes across Texas, and adjusted for maternal characteristics, environmental indicators, and community-level covariates. We also performed time-stratified spatiotemporal analyses for more prevalent birth defects. RESULTS Location was significantly associated with crude odds of all birth defects except hypoplastic left heart syndrome. After adjusting for maternal characteristics, environmental indicators, and community-level factors, ORs in many geographic areas were no longer statistically significant for most defects, especially CHDs. However, areas of significant and insignificant elevated risk remained for defects in all groups in North and South Texas, with ORs for ventricular septal defects increasing over time. Low risk of birth defects was often present in the northern part of East Texas. CONCLUSION Significant spatial patterns of birth defects were identified and varied depending on adjustment of different categories of covariates. Further investigation of areas with increased risks may aid in our understanding of birth defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian W Tang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Peter H Langlois
- Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Verónica M Vieira
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
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Wetherbee O, Meeker JR, DeVoto C, Penning TM, Moore JH, Boland MR. WellExplorer: an integrative resource linking hydraulic fracturing chemicals with hormonal pathways and geographic location. DATABASE-THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DATABASES AND CURATION 2021; 2020:5875239. [PMID: 32701164 PMCID: PMC7376760 DOI: 10.1093/database/baaa053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to hydraulic fracturing fluid in drinking water increases the risk of many adverse health outcomes. Unfortunately, most individuals and researchers are unaware of the health risks posed by a particular well due to the diversity of chemical ingredients used across sites. We constructed WellExplorer (http://WellExplorer.org), an interactive tool for researchers and community members to use for retrieving information regarding the hormonal, testosterone and estrogen modulators located at each well. We found that wells in Alabama use a disproportionately high number of ingredients targeting estrogen pathways, while Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania use a disproportionately high number of ingredients targeting testosterone pathways. Researchers can utilize WellExplorer to study health outcomes related to exposure to fracturing chemicals in their population-based cohorts. Community members can use this resource to search their home or work locations (e.g. town or zip code) to determine proximity between where they live or work and specific hormonal exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen Wetherbee
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104
| | - Jessica R Meeker
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104.,Center for Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104
| | - Caroline DeVoto
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104
| | - Trevor M Penning
- Center for Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104.,Department of Systems Pharmacology & Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jason H Moore
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104.,Institute for Biomedical Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104
| | - Mary Regina Boland
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, USA 19104
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42
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Willis MD, Hill EL, Boslett A, Kile ML, Carozza SE, Hystad P. Associations between Residential Proximity to Oil and Gas Drilling and Term Birth Weight and Small-for-Gestational-Age Infants in Texas: A Difference-in-Differences Analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:77002. [PMID: 34287013 PMCID: PMC8293911 DOI: 10.1289/ehp7678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oil and natural gas extraction may produce environmental pollution at levels that affect reproductive health of nearby populations. Available studies have primarily focused on unconventional gas drilling and have not accounted for local population changes that can coincide with drilling activity. OBJECTIVE Our study sought to examine associations between residential proximity to oil and gas drilling and adverse term birth outcomes using a difference-in-differences study design. METHODS We created a retrospective population-based term birth cohort in Texas between 1996 and 2009 composed of mother-infant dyads (n=2,598,025) living <10km from an oil or gas site. We implemented a difference-in-differences approach to estimate associations between drilling activities and infant health: term birth weight and term small for gestational age (SGA). Using linear and logistic regression, we modeled interactions between births before (unexposed) or during (exposed) drilling activity and residential proximity near (0-1, 1-2, or 2-3km) or far (3-10km) from an active or future drilling site, adjusting for individual- and neighborhood-level characteristics. RESULTS The adjusted mean difference in term birth weight for mothers living 0-1 vs. 3-10km from a current or future drilling site was -7.3g [95% confidence interval (CI): -11.6, -3.0] for births during active vs. future drilling. The corresponding adjusted odds ratio for SGA was 1.02 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.06). Negative associations with term birth weight were observed for the 1-2 and 2-3km near groups, and no consistent differences were identified by type of drilling activity. Larger, though imprecise, adverse associations were found for infants born to Hispanic women, women with the lowest educational attainment, and women living in cities. CONCLUSIONS Residing near oil and gas drilling sites during pregnancy was associated with a small reduction in term birth weight but not SGA, with some evidence of environmental injustices. Additional work is needed to investigate specific drilling-related exposures that might explain these associations. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7678.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary D Willis
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elaine L Hill
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Andrew Boslett
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
- Rochester Data Science Consortium, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Molly L Kile
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Susan E Carozza
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Perry Hystad
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
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43
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Abstract
This paper examines whether public perceptions of the claimed advantages and disadvantages of fracking are consistent with an evidence-based assessment of the claimed advantages and disadvantages. Public assessments are obtained from an internet-based opinion survey in 2014 in six states: California, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The survey presented eleven advantages and eleven disadvantages of fracking derived from local media stories, from advocacy claims made by pro- or anti-fracking groups, and from think tank pieces. Then the respondents were asked to indicate their feelings about how important each claimed advantage and disadvantage was to their support of/opposition to fracking. Scientific assessments regarding the same claims are compiled from available peer-reviewed literature and evidence-based reviews. We classify each claim as either (a) supported by the weight of the available evidence, (b) not supported by the weight of the available evidence, or (c) there is inadequate evidence to assess it. We find less consistency with respect to the disadvantages than advantages. Respondents perceive four disadvantages out of eleven as extremely important while there is inadequate evidence to assess them or the available evidence does not support them. Our comparison has interesting implications for understanding the controversy about fracking.
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44
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Willis M, Hystad P, Denham A, Hill E. Natural gas development, flaring practices and paediatric asthma hospitalizations in Texas. Int J Epidemiol 2021; 49:1883-1896. [PMID: 32879945 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaa115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent advancements in drilling technology led to a rapid increase in natural gas development (NGD). Air pollution may be elevated in these areas and may vary by drilling type (conventional and unconventional), production volume and gas flaring. Impacts of NGD on paediatric asthma are largely unknown. This study quantifies associations between specific NGD activities and paediatric asthma hospitalizations in Texas. METHODS We leveraged a database of Texas inpatient hospitalizations between 2000 and 2010 at the zip code level by quarter to examine associations between NGD and paediatric asthma hospitalizations, where our primary outcome is 0 vs ≥1 hospitalization. We used quarterly production reports to assess additional drilling-specific exposures at the zip code-level including drilling type, production and gas flaring. We developed logistic regression models to assess paediatric asthma hospitalizations by zip code-quarter-year observations, thus capturing spatiotemporal exposure patterns. RESULTS We observed increased odds of ≥1 paediatric asthma hospitalization in a zip code per quarter associated with increasing tertiles of NGD exposure and show that spatiotemporal variation impacts results. Conventional drilling, compared with no drilling, is associated with odds ratios up to 1.23 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 1.34], whereas unconventional drilling is associated with odds ratios up to 1.59 (95% CI: 1.46, 1.73). Increasing production volumes are associated with increased paediatric asthma hospitalizations in an exposure-response relationship, whereas associations with flaring volumes are inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS We found evidence of associations between paediatric asthma hospitalizations and NGD, regardless of drilling type. Practices related to production volume may be driving these positive associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Willis
- School of Biological & Population Health, College of Public Health & Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Perry Hystad
- School of Biological & Population Health, College of Public Health & Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Alina Denham
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Elaine Hill
- School of Biological & Population Health, College of Public Health & Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.,Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
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45
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Abstract
Ambient air pollution is produced by sources including vehicular traffic, coal-fired power plants, hydraulic fracturing, agricultural production, and forest fires. It consists of primary pollutants generated by combustion and secondary pollutants formed in the atmosphere from precursor gases. Air pollution causes and exacerbates climate change, and climate change worsens health effects of air pollution. Infants and children are uniquely sensitive to air pollution, because their organs are developing and they have higher air per body weight intake. Health effects linked to air pollution include not only exacerbations of respiratory diseases but also reduced lung function development and increased asthma incidence. Additional outcomes of concern include preterm birth, low birth weight, neurodevelopmental disorders, IQ loss, pediatric cancers, and increased risks for adult chronic diseases. These effects are mediated by oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, endocrine disruption, and genetic and epigenetic mechanisms across the life span. Natural experiments demonstrate that with initiatives such as increased use of public transportation, both air quality and community health improve. Similarly, the Clean Air Act has improved air quality, although exposure inequities persist. Other effective strategies for reducing air pollution include ending reliance on coal, oil, and gas; regulating industrial emissions; reducing exposure with attention to proximity of residences, schools, and child care facilities to traffic; and a greater awareness of the Air Quality Index. This policy reviews both short- and long-term health consequences of ambient air pollution, especially in relation to developmental exposures. It examines individual, community, and legislative strategies to mitigate air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather L Brumberg
- Division of Neonatology, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, Westchester Medical Center and Departments of Pediatrics and Public Health, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York; and
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46
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Eleke C, Ngbala-Okpabi SO, Ogaji D, Agu IS, Bempong-Eleke EN. Effects of Environmental Crude Oil Pollution on Newborn Birth Outcomes: A Retrospective Cohort Study. J Nurs Res 2021; 29:e161. [PMID: 34049324 DOI: 10.1097/jnr.0000000000000435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization encourages countries to improve birth outcomes to reduce rates of neonatal mortality and morbidity. PURPOSE This study was designed to examine the effect of environmental crude oil pollution on newborn birth outcomes in Rivers State, Nigeria. METHODS A retrospective cohort design was used to examine the effects of exposure to oil pollution on birth outcomes using facility-based records. K-Dere (an oil-polluted community) served as the exposure group, whereas birth records from Iriebe served as the comparison group. A sample size of 338 systematically selected birth records was examined (169 records for each arm of the study). A data extraction sheet was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at p < .05. RESULTS The risk of preterm birth was significantly higher in the exposed group (16% vs. 7.7%, relative risk = 2.08, 95% CI [1.11, 3.89], p = .018). At 6 weeks after birth, newborns in the exposed group weighed significantly less (4.64 ± 0.82 vs. 4.85 ± 0.92 kg, p = .032) and reported significantly higher incidence of morbidity compared with the newborns in the comparison group (relative risk = 3.03, 95% CI [2.20, 4.19], p < .001). CONCLUSIONS The oil-polluted area examined in this study was found to have a higher risk of preterm birth, a slower rate of newborn growth, and a higher rate of newborn morbidity than the non-oil-polluted area at 6 weeks after birth. Stakeholders should sustain efforts to remediate the environment in polluted regions and prevent oil pollution. Future research should investigate the mechanisms of the observed toxicological effects and the targeted protection of vulnerable groups in oil-polluted communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinemerem Eleke
- MSN, RM, RN, Lecturer, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Department of Nursing, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
| | - Sabinah Obele Ngbala-Okpabi
- MSN, RM, RN, Researcher, Africa Centre of Excellence in Public Health and Toxicology Research, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
| | - Daprim Ogaji
- PhD, MBBS, Centre Leader and Research Coordinator, Africa Centre of Excellence in Public Health and Toxicology Research, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
| | - Ifeyinwa S Agu
- MSN, RM, RN, Lecturer, Department of Nursing Sciences, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria
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Padmanabhan V, Song W, Puttabyatappa M. Praegnatio Perturbatio-Impact of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. Endocr Rev 2021; 42:295-353. [PMID: 33388776 PMCID: PMC8152448 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnaa035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The burden of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth and low birth weight is considerable across the world. Several risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes have been identified. One risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes receiving considerable attention in recent years is gestational exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Humans are exposed to a multitude of environmental chemicals with known endocrine-disrupting properties, and evidence suggests exposure to these EDCs have the potential to disrupt the maternal-fetal environment culminating in adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. This review addresses the impact of maternal and fetal exposure to environmental EDCs of natural and man-made chemicals in disrupting the maternal-fetal milieu in human leading to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes-a risk factor for adult-onset noncommunicable diseases, the role lifestyle and environmental factors play in mitigating or amplifying the effects of EDCs, the underlying mechanisms and mediators involved, and the research directions on which to focus future investigations to help alleviate the adverse effects of EDC exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wenhui Song
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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48
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Padmanabhan V, Moeller J, Puttabyatappa M. Impact of gestational exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals on pregnancy and birth outcomes. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2021; 92:279-346. [PMID: 34452689 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2021.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
With the advent of industrialization, humans are exposed to a wide range of environmental chemicals, many with endocrine disrupting potential. As successful maintenance of pregnancy and fetal development are under tight hormonal control, the gestational exposure to environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) have the potential to adversely affect the maternal milieu and support to the fetus, fetal developmental trajectory and birth outcomes. This chapter summarizes the impact of exposure to EDCs both individually and as mixtures during pregnancy, the immediate and long-term consequences of such exposures on the mother and fetus, the direct and indirect mechanisms through which they elicit their effects, factors that modify their action, and the research directions to focus future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacob Moeller
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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49
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Tang IW, Langlois PH, Vieira VM. Birth defects and unconventional natural gas developments in Texas, 1999-2011. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 194:110511. [PMID: 33245885 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Unconventional natural gas developments (UNGD) may release air and water pollutants into the environment, potentially increasing the risk of birth defects. We conducted a case-control study evaluating 52,955 cases with birth defects and 642,399 controls born between 1999 and 2011 to investigate the relationship between UNGD exposure and the risk of gastroschisis, congenital heart defects (CHD), neural tube defects (NTDs), and orofacial clefts in Texas. We calculated UNGD densities (number of UNGDs per area) within 1, 3, and 7.5 km of maternal address at birth and categorized exposure by density tertiles. For CHD subtypes with large case numbers, we also performed time-stratified analyses to examine temporal trends. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association with UNGD exposure, accounting for maternal characteristics and neighborhood factors. We also included a bivariable smooth of geocoded maternal location in an additive model to account for unmeasured spatially varying risk factors. Positive associations were observed between the highest tertile of UNGD density within 1 km of maternal address and risk of anencephaly (aOR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.55, 3.86), spina bifida (aOR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.47, 2.99), gastroschisis among older mothers (aOR: 3.19, 95% CI: 1.77, 5.73), aortic valve stenosis (aOR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.33, 2.71), hypoplastic left heart syndrome (aOR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.39, 2.86), and pulmonary valve atresia or stenosis (aOR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.66). For CHD subtypes, results did not differ substantially by distance from maternal address or when residual confounding was considered, except for atrial septal defects. We did not observe associations with orofacial clefts. Our results suggest that UNGDs were associated with some CHDs and possibly NTDs. In addition, we identified temporal trends and observed presence of spatial residual confounding for some CHDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian W Tang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, USA.
| | - Peter H Langlois
- Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health Austin Regional Campus, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Verónica M Vieira
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, USA
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50
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Lin Y, Gao X, Qiu X, Liu J, Tseng CH, Zhang JJ, Araujo JA, Zhu Y. Urinary carboxylic acid metabolites as possible novel biomarkers of exposures to alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 147:106325. [PMID: 33340988 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have found that alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (alkyl-PAHs) were more abundant in petrogenic sources (e.g., crude oil and its refined products) than pyrogenic sources of incomplete combustion. While urinary hydroxylated metabolites of unsubstituted PAHs have been widely used as biomarkers of PAHs exposures, little information is available as to the occurrence of alkyl-PAH metabolites. In this study, we have detected carboxylic acid metabolites of alkyl-naphthalene (2-NAPCA) and alkyl-phenanthrene (2-PHECA) in 314 urine samples repeatedly collected from 45 Los Angeles residents before, during, and after they spent ten weeks in Beijing in summers of 2014-2017. We found that traveling from Los Angeles to Beijing led to 348% (95% CI: 243 to 485%) and 209% (95% CI: 149 to 282%) increases in 2-NAPCA and 2-PHECA concentrations, respectively, which returned to baseline levels after participants came back to Los Angeles. The concentration ratio between 2-PHECA and hydroxy-phenanthrenes was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in Beijing (median: 0.40, IQR: 0.27-0.53) than in Los Angeles (median: 0.51, IQR: 0.32-0.77), where more than 5,000 active gas and oil wells were located. From 2014 to 2017, the concentration ratio of 2-PHECA to hydroxy-phenanthrenes increased by 28.7 (95%CI: 12.3 to 47.6) %/yr in Los Angeles and 18.6 (95%CI: 7.9 to 30.3) %/yr in Beijing, likely resulted from both cities' efforts to reduce pyrogenic emissions (e.g. vehicle exhaust). These results provided indirect evidence supporting the use of 2-PHECA to hydroxy-phenanthrene ratio as an index to reflect the relative exposure contributions from petrogenic and pyrogenic sources. While our study suggested that urinary PAHCAs may be novel biomarkers of exposure to alkyl-PAHs, future studies with external exposure characterization are warranted to further validate these biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Lin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Xueyao Gao
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Xinghua Qiu
- State Key Joint Laboratory for Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, and Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China.
| | - Jinming Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory for Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, and Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China
| | - Chi-Hong Tseng
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Junfeng Jim Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory for Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, and Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China; Nicholas School of the Environment and Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jesus A Araujo
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Yifang Zhu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States.
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