Abstract A37: Disparities in exposures to volatile organic compounds among the marginalized communities of inner city Washington DC Free

The District of Columbia has one of the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in the nation in conjunction with significant cancer-related geographic and racial disparities. Besides exposures to behavioral and occupational risk factors, characterizing potential exposures to environmental carcinogens in such high risk areas as well as understanding exposure disparities is of public health importance. It has been reported that individuals residing in over-populated and /or underserved areas of major cities are at increased risk of being exposed to various air pollutants, but no studies to date have explored this issue among such communities of inner city Washington DC. Environmental carcinogens, such as chloroform, and benzene, are major components of air pollution from vehicular exhaust, factory and refinery emissions, some building materials and industrial/household solvents. In this study we examined the levels of chloroform, benzene, toluene, and 1,2-dichlorobenzene in high risk areas (<1 mile from highway/freeway) and compared it to those of low risk areas (>3 miles from the highway/freeway). Levels of selected volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including benzene, chloroform, toluene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene were measured inside and outside of 16 homes in high risk areas and 14 homes in low risk areas over a 72 hour time period using an 3M Organic Vapor Monitor and analyzed using gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC/MS). The levels of all the four VOCs in the high risk areas were higher both inside and outside the homes compared to the low risk areas. Mean chloroform levels outside the residences in high risk areas were significantly higher (1.24 μg/m³) in comparison to low risk areas (0.43μg/m³), (P < .05). Levels of all four compounds were higher inside the homes in both high and low risk areas than outside the homes, however, the inside-outside differences were significant for chloroform and toluene only. The mean exposure level of 1,2-dichlorobenzene was the highest (33.66μg/m³) inside the homes located in high risk areas as opposed to 1.48μg/m³ inside the homes in the low risk areas. This indicated a presence of additional indoor sources of this compounds including air fresheners, cleaning solvents, moth balls etc. in the high risk/low income communities. The results suggest that individuals living in high risk areas are more likely to be exposed to higher levels of indoor environmental carcinogens compared to low risk areas. Preventive efforts targeting indoor environmental carcinogens are warranted in efforts to reduce the cancer burden that disproportionately impacts African-Americans.

Citation Format: Ashley C. Huderson, Chiranjeev Dash, Everett Dodson, Amir Sapkota, Lucile Adams-Campbell. Disparities in exposures to volatile organic compounds among the marginalized communities of inner city Washington DC. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr A37.