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Associations between select blood VOCs and hematological measures in NHANES 2005–2010

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 31, pages 366–376 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Exposure to VOCs is linked to health effects ranging from asthma to cancer and to negative impacts on the hematopoietic system. We examined the association between select blood VOC concentrations and hematological measures in a representative sample of the U.S. population from NHANES cycles spanning the years 2005 to 2010. We used Cox regression to assess the association between complete blood count with five-part differential (CBC) parameters and seven select blood VOCs, while addressing low detection rates among VOCs. Tobacco smoke exposure was classified using serum cotinine levels. The not-smoke-exposed group had lower VOC levels for most analytes compared with the smoke-exposed. Correlations between benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) were moderate to strong. Statistical associations were found between benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and styrene (BTEXS) and hematocrit, hemoglobin, and white blood cell count among the smoke-exposed. Among the not-smoke-exposed, there was an association between BTEX and platelet count. We considered benzene most likely to be associated with higher levels of CBC concentrations. Our findings suggest VOC levels currently found in the general U.S. population are associated with changes in hematological measures, and smoking could be a contributor.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of CDC Division of Laboratory Science, the Tobacco and Volatiles branch.

Funding

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official positions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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  1. Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Christina Vaughan Watson, Samantha Naik, Michael Lewin, Angela Ragin-Wilson & Elizabeth Irvin-Barnwell

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  1. Christina Vaughan Watson
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  2. Samantha Naik
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  3. Michael Lewin
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Correspondence to Christina Vaughan Watson.

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Vaughan Watson, C., Naik, S., Lewin, M. et al. Associations between select blood VOCs and hematological measures in NHANES 2005–2010. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 31, 366–376 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-019-0192-8

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