Associating Increased Chemical Exposure to Hurricane Harvey in a Longitudinal Panel Using Silicone Wristbands

Abstract

Hurricane Harvey was associated with flood-related damage to chemical plants and oil refineries, and the flooding of hazardous waste sites, including 13 Superfund sites. As clean-up efforts began, concerns were raised regarding the human health impact of possible increased chemical exposure resulting from the hurricane and subsequent flooding. Personal sampling devices in the form of silicone wristbands were deployed to a longitudinal panel of individuals (n = 99) within 45 days of the hurricane and again one year later in the Houston metropolitan area. Using gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy, each wristband was screened for 1500 chemicals and analyzed for 63 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Chemical exposure levels found on the wristbands were generally higher post-Hurricane Harvey. In the 1500 screen, 188 chemicals were detected, 29 were detected in at least 30% of the study population, and of those, 79% (n = 23) were found in significantly higher concentrations (p < 0.05) post-Hurricane Harvey. Similarly, in PAH analysis, 51 chemicals were detected, 31 were detected in at least 30% of the study population, and 39% (n = 12) were found at statistically higher concentrations (p < 0.05) post-Hurricane Harvey. This study indicates that there were increased levels of chemical exposure after Hurricane Harvey in the Houston metropolitan area.

Integrating participant feedback and concerns to improve community and individual level chemical exposure assessment reports

“…Eligibility criteria included being age five or older, and fluent in English and Spanish. Overall, the project aimed to evaluate exposure to chemical and microbial contaminants following Hurricane Harvey and the potential impacts on health [ 31 , 32 ]. To evaluate individual-level chemical exposure, participants wore silicone wristbands for a seven-day time period during the first round of sampling (September 23—October 12, 2017), which occurred within one month of flooding from Hurricane Harvey, and during a second round of sampling approximately one year later (September 18–27, 2018).…”

“…In total, 312 participants wore and returned a silicone wristband at one or both time points. Silicone wristbands were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy with a screening method for 1,530 organic chemicals to capture a broad range of potential environmental contaminants [ 31 , 32 ]. The Houston-3H study was approved by the institutional review boards at Oregon State University, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), and the University of Texas Health Science Center.…”

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“…While the precise cause of the Ohio derailment remains under investigation, decades of divestment in government spending for maintenance of infrastructure, including transportation networks, coupled with industry participation in the EPA's peer review process for scientific assessments in which disease thresholds and exposure limits to toxic substances are established, widespread environmental deregulation, and successful lobbying against broad definitions for high-hazard flammable trains and implementation of electronically controlled pneumatic brakes on trains transporting hazardous materials contribute collectively to the likelihood of future disasters [39,47,48]. Moreover, the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change amplifies the risk of secondary disasters due to toxic environmental releases resulting from damage to industrial facilities, such as those documented following Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, and Laura [49,50]. This further emphasizes the need to ensure the integrity of industrial infrastructure, climate resiliency, disaster management and response, improved railroad safety, safety inspections for transportation of hazardous materials, enforcment of safety regulations, mandatory release notifications, ongoing monitoring of chemical spills and releases, and development of public health campaigns to promote education on chemical exposures.…”

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“…The researchers analyzed 173 wristbands, worn by people living or working in flooded areas for a week, and found 183 chemicals, most of which are known to interfere with the endocrine system [ 63 ]. They reported that chemical levels were generally higher after the hurricane compared data collected one year later [ 64 ]. The simple, non-invasive wristbands effectively measure personal exposures to hundreds of different chemicals, and have been successfully deployed in diverse settings [ 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 ].…”