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Exposure to Crude Oil-Related Volatile Organic Compounds Associated with Lung Function Decline in a Longitudinal
Su Ryeon Noh1, Jung-Ah Kim2, Hae-Kwan Cheong3
1Department of Public Health and Environment, Kosin University, 194 Wachi-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan 49104, Republic of Korea.
Background:
Children in the affected area were exposed to large amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the Hebei Spirit oil spill accident.
Objectives:
We investigated the lung function loss from the exposure to VOCs in a longitudinal panel of 224 children 1, 3, and 5 years after the VOC exposure event.
Methods:
Atmospheric estimated concentration of total VOCs (TVOCs), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene for 4 days immediately after the accident were calculated for each village (n = 83) using a modeling technique. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) as an indicator of airway status was measured 1, 3, and 5 years after the exposure in 224 children 4~9 years of age at the exposure to the oil spill. Multiple linear regression and linear mixed models were used to evaluate the associations, with adjustment for smoking and second-hand smoke at home.
Results:
Among the TVOCs (geometric mean: 1319.5 mg/m3·4 d), xylene (9.4), toluene (8.5), ethylbenzene (5.2), and benzene (2.0) were dominant in the order of air concentration level. In 224 children, percent predicted FEV1 (ppFEV1), adjusted for smoking and second-hand smoke at home, was 100.7% after 1 year, 96.2% after 3 years, and 94.6% after 5 years, and the loss over the period was significant (p < 0.0001). After 1 and 3 years, TVOCs, xylene, toluene, and ethylbenzene were significantly associated with ppFEV1. After 5 years, the associations were not significant. Throughout the 5 years' repeated measurements in the panel, TVOCs, xylene, toluene, and ethylbenzene were significantly associated with ppFEV1.
Conclusions:
Exposure to VOCs from the oil spill resulted in lung function loss among children, which remained significant up to 5 years after the exposure.
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