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. 2020 Nov 21;17(22):8646.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17228646.

Levels of Ethylene Oxide Biomarker in an Exposed Residential Community

Emily Szwiec  1 , Lee Friedman  1 , Susan Buchanan  1
Affiliations

Levels of Ethylene Oxide Biomarker in an Exposed Residential Community

Emily Szwiec et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether there is a difference in ethylene oxide (EtO) biomarker levels based on residential proximity to facilities emitting EtO, a carcinogen. We recruited residents living near two EtO-emitting facilities and administered a questionnaire on items such as address and length of residency, smoking habits, occupational exposures to EtO, and demographics. We also collected venous blood samples to measure an EtO biomarker, hemoglobin adduct N-2-hydroxyethyl-valine (HbEO), and cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine. Questionnaires and blood samples were collected from 93 participants. The overall geometric HbEO adduct level was 35.0 pmol/gmHb and for nonsmokers it was 29.7 pmol/gmHb. Mean HbEO adduct levels were not significantly associated with sex, age, race, BMI, or education level. HbEO adduct levels for nonsmoking participants who lived in a neighborhood approximately 0.8 km from one of the facilities were significantly higher compared to persons living farther away (p < 0.001). These results suggest that facilities that emit EtO may put nearby communities at risk of cancer and other associated health outcomes.

Keywords: biomarkers; community exposure; ethylene oxide.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of households that participated in the surveillance project and their proximity to Facilities A and B.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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