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Multiple pathway asbestos exposure assessment for a Superfund community

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 25, pages 18–25 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

Libby, MT, USA, was the home to workers at a historical vermiculite mining facility and served as the processing and distribution center for this industrial product that was contaminated with amphibole asbestos. Several pathways of environmental asbestos exposure to the general population have been identified. The local clinic and health screening program collects data from participants on past occupational and environmental exposures to vermiculite and asbestos. Health studies among this population have demonstrated associations between amphibole exposure and health outcomes, but critical questions regarding the nature and level of exposure associated with specific outcomes remain unanswered. The objective of this study was to develop a comprehensive exposure assessment approach that integrates information on individuals’ contact frequency with multiple exposure pathways. For 3031 participants, we describe cumulative exposure metrics for environmental exposures, occupational exposures, and residents’ contact with carry-home asbestos from household workers. As expected, cumulative exposures for all three occupational categories were higher among men compared with women, and cumulative exposures for household contact and environmental pathways were higher among women. The comprehensive exposure assessment strategies will advance health studies and risk assessment approaches in this population with a complex history of both occupational and environmental asbestos exposure.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by ATSDR/CDC Grant No. TS000099-01. We thank Ted Larson, ATSDR, for his helpful comments on an early review of this manuscript. We also thank Dave Berry, EPA, for providing historical context and insight on the EPA sampling database.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Environmental Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA

    Curtis W Noonan & Kathrene Conway

  2. Division of Biological Sciences, Computational Ecology Laboratory, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA

    Erin L Landguth

  3. Center for Asbestos Related Disease, Libby, Montana, USA

    Tracy McNew & Brad Black

  4. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA

    Laura Linker, Jaime Szeinuk & Raja Flores

  5. Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, USA

    Jean Pfau

Authors
  1. Curtis W Noonan
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  2. Kathrene Conway
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  4. Tracy McNew
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Correspondence to Curtis W Noonan.

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Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology website

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Noonan, C., Conway, K., Landguth, E. et al. Multiple pathway asbestos exposure assessment for a Superfund community. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 25, 18–25 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2014.25

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