Exploring the external exposome using wearable passive samplers - The China BAPE study.
Jeremy P Koelmel1, Elizabeth Z Lin1, Pengfei Guo1
1Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
|December 28, 2020
Summary
Wearable air quality monitors reveal personal exposure profiles. This study identified toxic chemicals like dichlorvos and naphthalene, aiding in health risk assessment and source identification.
Area of Science:
- Environmental health
- Analytical chemistry
- Toxicology
Background:
- Environmental exposures pose significant health risks.
- Current methods lack tools to assess personal exposure profiles and sources.
- Understanding the external exposome is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To capture personal exposure variations to airborne chemicals.
- To identify airborne exposures posing the greatest health risks.
- To develop a workflow for prioritizing chemicals of concern.
Main Methods:
- Deployed passive air sampler wristbands on 84 participants (aged 60-69) for five months.
- Utilized a novel gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry workflow for data processing.
- Predicted chemical toxicity to identify potential health concerns.
Main Results:
- Identified frequent personal exposures to chemicals including dichlorvos, naphthalene, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
- Highlighted dichlorvos (insecticides), naphthalene (mothballs), and PAHs as exposures of elevated toxicity.
- Linked other exposures to diet, personal care products, smoke, and sunscreens.
Conclusions:
- Wearable passive samplers offer a viable method for assessing personal exposure profiles.
- The developed workflow aids in prioritizing chemicals of concern at community and individual levels.
- Characterizing exposure sources enables targeted interventions for health improvement.
