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Fine Particulate Matter and Lung Function among Burning-Exposed Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Workers.
- Source :
- Environmental Health Perspectives; Feb2022, Vol. 130 Issue 2, p027001-1-027001-13, 13p, 5 Charts
- Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- BACKGROUND: During the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster, controlled burning was conducted to remove oil from the water. Workers near combustion sites were potentially exposed to increased fine particulate matter [with aerodynamic diameter =2.5µm (PM[sub 2.5])] levels. Exposure to PM[sub 2.5] has been linked to decreased lung function, but to our knowledge, no study has examined exposure encountered in an oil spill cleanup. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association between estimated PM[sub 2.5] only from burning/flaring of oil/gas and lung function measured 1–3 y after the DWH disaster. METHODS: We included workers who participated in response and cleanup activities on the water during the DWH disaster and had lung function measured at a subsequent home visit (푛=2,316). PM[sub 2.5] concentrations were estimated using a Gaussian plume dispersion model and linked to work histories via a job-exposure matrix. We evaluated forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1; milliliters), forced vital capacity (FVC; milliliters), and their ratio (FEV1/FVC; %) in relation to average and cumulative daily maximum exposures using multivariable linear regressions. RESULTS: We observed significant exposure–response trends associating higher cumulative daily maximum PM[sub 2.5] exposure with lower FEV1 (푝-trend=0.04) and FEV1/FVC (푝-trend=0.01). In comparison with the referent group (workers not involved in or near the burning), those with higher cumulative exposures had lower FEV1 [-166.8mL, 95% confidence interval (CI): -337.3, 3.7] and FEV1/FVC (-1.7, 95% CI: -3.6, 0.2). We also saw nonsignificant reductions in FVC (high vs. referent: -120.9, 95% CI: -319.4, 77.6; 푝-trend=0.36). Similar associations were seen for average daily maximum PM[sub 2.5] exposure. Inverse associations were also observed in analyses stratified by smoking and time from exposure to spirometry and when we restricted to workers without prespill lung disease. CONCLUSIONS: Among oil spill workers, exposure to PM[sub 2.5] specifically from controlled burning of oil/gas was associated with significantly lower FEV1 and FEV1/FVC when compared with workers not involved in burning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- LUNG physiology
PARTICULATE matter
FATS & oils
GASES
DISASTERS
OCCUPATIONAL exposure
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00916765
- Volume :
- 130
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Environmental Health Perspectives
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 155589671
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8930