Symptom Clusters in a Community with Chronic Exposure to Chemicals in Two Superfund Sites

Abstract

Sikes and French, Ltd., two National Priority List sites that are proximal to one another, are located approximately 20 mi (32 km) east of Houston, Texas. Dumping at Sikes occurred during the early 1960s and continued until 1967. Benzene, 1,2-dichloroethane, toluene, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, naphthalene, lead, fluorene, and pyrene are chemicals that pose a particular public health concern. French, Ltd., commenced operations in 1966, and dumping ceased in 1973. Chemicals of potential public health impact at the French, Ltd., site are benzene, benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, copper, chrysene, chromium, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, heptachlor, lead, nickel, polychlorinated biphenyls, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, and zinc. During the 1980s, both sites were placed on the National Priority List. Barrett Station is a stable black community located near the two sites. The question of whether levels of exposure to dumpsite chemicals were related to health complaints in the Barrett Station population was examined. The prevalence of 29 symptoms reported by 321 individuals who had been highly exposed was compared with symptoms reported by a group of 351 persons from the same community who had limited exposure. A meaningful difference between the two groups emerged for some of the symptoms, the most notable of which symptoms were neurologic. Almost twice as many subjects in the high-exposure group reported five or more neurologic symptoms, compared with the low-exposure group. This excess of neurological symptoms is consistent with the known toxic properties of the chemicals at the sites.

Effects of Benzo[a]pyrene on Autonomic Nervous System of Coke Oven Workers

“…Neurological abnormalities were reported in a community exposed to B[a]P, benzofluoranthrene, chrysene, naphthol and pyrene and other PAHs dumped at national priority hazardous waste sites in Texas from the 1960s until the late 1970s 37) . Neurophysiologic and neuropsychological impairments which occurred in residents in Louisiana were related to higher levels of PAHs detected in nearby soils and waters 38) .…”

Effects of 12 metal ions on iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP-1) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) and HIF-regulated genes

“…For example, it has been reported that As(III) induced HIF-1α through mTOR-dependent pathway in DU145 cells (Skinner et al, 2004). These diverse mechanisms of HIF-1α induction can be operative when several metals were combined, which is a common experience in the real world at superfund sites and in occupational exposure situations (Dayal et al, 1995;Diagomanolin et al, 2004;Roff et al, 2004). As shown in this study, there was synergistic effect on HIF-1α protein level when cells were exposed to the combinations of either [Ni(II) + As(III)] or [Ni(II) + Cr(VI)].…”

Residence location as a measure of environmental exposure: a review of air pollution epidemiology studies

“…Similarly diverse applications have been seen in studies of water pollution ( e.g., Baker et al, 1978;Lebowitz et al, 1992;Rao et al, 1995 ) and hazardous waste (e.g., Lagakos et al, 1986;Lampi et al, 1992;Gamble and Lewis, 1996;Molholland et al, 1998 ). Exposure indicators using residence location are easy and inexpensive to construct, and increased use is anticipated given advances in geographic information systems (GIS ) and databases that simplify identification of potentially polluted areas (Clark et al, 1982;Budnick et al, 1984;Geschwind et al, 1992;Dayal et al, 1995 ). Some of the exposure indicators require little or even no environmental data, a major contrast to indicators using biological, personal or environmental monitoring.…”