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Soil ingestion in children and adults in the same family

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 16, pages 63–75 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Ingestion of soil may be a potentially important pathway of exposure to environmental pollutants. Although several studies have estimated soil ingestion in children, data on ingestion in adults are sparse. The purposes of this study were to estimate soil ingestion in children aged 3 to 8 years and their parents, identify factors associated with increased ingestion, and compare ingestion rates within the same family. Food/liquid, excreta, and soil/dust samples were collected for the mother, father, and participant child for 11 consecutive days in 19 families. Soil ingestion was estimated using a mass balance approach. Soil ingestion levels in children were similar to those reported previously, whereas adult estimates were somewhat higher than previous estimates. Children's eating of dirt and parents' occupational contact with soil were associated with increased ingestion. Within families, soil ingestion levels in children and adults were not correlated, although this analysis was based on fewer than 19 participant families. Children's mean soil ingestion rates ranged from 37 to 207 mg/day depending on the tracer, with the highest values based on titanium as a tracer. Adult mean soil ingestion rates ranged from 23 to 625 mg/day depending on the tracer, with the highest value based on titanium as a tracer. Soil ingestion rate estimates were more variable in adults than in children.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by funding under a cooperative agreement (R-82959101-0) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We thank Laurie Shields, Cathy Kirkwood, and Christy Callahan for their valuable contributions to the considerable data-related activities required of this project. They are indebted to Dr Jacqueline Moya for her helpful advice and reviews of earlier versions of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Public Health Sciences, Program in Epidemiology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Scott Davis & Dana K Mirick

  2. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Scott Davis

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  1. Scott Davis
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  2. Dana K Mirick
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Correspondence to Scott Davis.

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Davis, S., Mirick, D. Soil ingestion in children and adults in the same family. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 16, 63–75 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500438

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