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A post-remediation assessment in Jersey City of the association of hexavalent chromium in house dust and urinary chromium in children

Abstract

Although all chromite ore processing residue (COPR) sites near residential neighborhoods in Jersey City, New Jersey have undergone remediation, recent studies found widespread, but low levels of hexavalent chromium (Cr+6) in house dust both in Jersey City and in communities with no known sources of Cr+6. This study was designed as a follow-up to determine whether there is an association between current Cr+6 levels in house dust and urinary chromium concentrations in young children. Dust samples (N=369) were collected from 123 homes. The median Cr+6 concentration was 3.3 μg/g (mean±SD 5.2±7.5) and the median Cr+6 loading was 1.1 μg/m2 (1.9±3.1). These levels were not elevated compared with previously reported levels in background communities (median concentration=3.5 μg/g; median loading=2.8 μg/m2). Urinary chromium concentrations were measured in spot urine samples collected from 150 children, ages 3 months to 6 years. The median uncorrected urinary chromium concentration was 0.19 μg/l (0.22±0.16). Current urinary chromium concentrations were significantly lower than those previously reported before and during remediation (t-test; P<0.001). Urinary chromium concentrations were not significantly higher in homes with high (75th or 90th percentile) Cr+6 dust levels (concentration or loading) compared with other homes. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the relationship between Cr+6 levels (concentration and loading) in house dust and urinary chromium concentrations (uncorrected and specific gravity corrected). Contrary to pre-remediation studies, we did not find a positive association between Cr+6 levels in house dust and urinary chromium concentrations. The findings indicate that current Cr+6 levels in house dust are not positively associated with children’s chromium exposure as measured by urinary chromium, and the children’s exposure to Cr+6 in house dust is below the level that could be identified by urine sampling.

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Acknowledgements

We dedicate this paper to the memory of our coauthor, Paul J. Lioy, mentor, colleague, and friend, who passed away suddenly as the paper was being finalized. Dr Lioy was a pioneer of exposure science, brought it to the forefront of environmental health research and policy, and was tireless in leading the maturation of the discipline. This study was mainly funded by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection through its Division of Science and Research. Additional funding was provided by the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, and the NIEHS Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease (P30ESO05022). We thank T Cirillo, T Boutillette, T Pittfield, Lin Lin, and M Donio for assistance. We also thank the many officials and community members of Jersey City who encouraged and facilitated this study.

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Correspondence to Kathleen Black.

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

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Black, K., Gochfeld, M., Lioy, P. et al. A post-remediation assessment in Jersey City of the association of hexavalent chromium in house dust and urinary chromium in children. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 25, 616–622 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2015.50

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