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Risk Assessment for Children Exposed to Beach Sands Impacted by Oil Spill Chemicals

Author

Listed:
  • Jennifer C. Black

    (Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA)

  • Jennifer N. Welday

    (Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA)

  • Brian Buckley

    (Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, 170 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA)

  • Alesia Ferguson

    (Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA)

  • Patrick L. Gurian

    (Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA)

  • Kristina D. Mena

    (School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, El Paso, TX 79902, USA)

  • Ill Yang

    (Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, 170 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA)

  • Elizabeth McCandlish

    (Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, 170 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA)

  • Helena M. Solo-Gabriele

    (Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA)

Abstract

Due to changes in the drilling industry, oil spills are impacting large expanses of coastlines, thereby increasing the potential for people to come in contact with oil spill chemicals. The objective of this manuscript was to evaluate the health risk to children who potentially contact beach sands impacted by oil spill chemicals from the Deepwater Horizon disaster. To identify chemicals of concern, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) monitoring data collected during and immediately after the spill were evaluated. This dataset was supplemented with measurements from beach sands and tar balls collected five years after the spill. Of interest is that metals in the sediments were observed at similar levels between the two sampling periods; some differences were observed for metals levels in tar balls. Although PAHs were not observed five years later, there is evidence of weathered-oil oxidative by-products. Comparing chemical concentration data to baseline soil risk levels, three metals (As, Ba, and V) and four PAHs (benzo[a]pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and dibenz[a,h]anthracene) were found to exceed guideline levels prompting a risk assessment. For acute or sub-chronic exposures, hazard quotients, computed by estimating average expected contact behavior, showed no adverse potential health effects. For cancer, computations using 95% upper confidence limits for contaminant concentrations showed extremely low increased risk in the 10 −6 range for oral and dermal exposure from arsenic in sediments and from dermal exposure from benzo[a]pyrene and benz[a]anthracene in weathered oil. Overall, results suggest that health risks are extremely low, given the limitations of available data. Limitations of this study are associated with the lack of toxicological data for dispersants and oil-spill degradation products. We also recommend studies to collect quantitative information about children’s beach play habits, which are necessary to more accurately assess exposure scenarios and health risks.

Suggested Citation

  • Jennifer C. Black & Jennifer N. Welday & Brian Buckley & Alesia Ferguson & Patrick L. Gurian & Kristina D. Mena & Ill Yang & Elizabeth McCandlish & Helena M. Solo-Gabriele, 2016. "Risk Assessment for Children Exposed to Beach Sands Impacted by Oil Spill Chemicals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-18, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2016:i:9:p:853-:d:76847
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John C. Kissel & Karen Y. Richter & Richard A. Fenske, 1996. "Field Measurement of Dermal Soil Loading Attributable to Various Activities: Implications for Exposure Assessment," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(1), pages 115-125, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lara E. Tomenchok & Maribeth L. Gidley & Kristina D. Mena & Alesia C. Ferguson & Helena M. Solo-Gabriele, 2020. "Children’s Abrasions in Recreational Beach Areas and a Review of Possible Wound Infections," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-11, June.
    2. Alesia Ferguson & Ashok Dwivedi & Foluke Adelabu & Esther Ehindero & Mehdi Lamssali & Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi & Kristina Mena & Helena Solo-Gabriele, 2021. "Quantified Activity Patterns for Young Children in Beach Environments Relevant for Exposure to Contaminants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-19, March.
    3. Alesia Ferguson & Ashok Kumar Dwivedi & Esther Ehindero & Foluke Adelabu & Kyra Rattler & Hanna Rose Perone & Larissa Montas & Kristina Mena & Helena Solo-Gabriele, 2020. "Soil, Hand, and Body Adherence Measures across Four Beach Areas: Potential Influence on Exposure to Oil Spill Chemicals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-19, June.
    4. Tanu Altomare & Patrick M. Tarwater & Alesia C. Ferguson & Helena M. Solo-Gabriele & Kristina D. Mena, 2020. "Estimating Health Risks to Children Associated with Recreational Play on Oil Spill-Contaminated Beaches," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Alesia Ferguson & Rosalind Penney & Helena Solo-Gabriele, 2017. "A Review of the Field on Children’s Exposure to Environmental Contaminants: A Risk Assessment Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-25, March.
    6. Mohd Faiz Ibrahim & Rozita Hod & Haidar Rizal Toha & Azmawati Mohammed Nawi & Idayu Badilla Idris & Hanizah Mohd Yusoff & Mazrura Sahani, 2021. "The Impacts of Illegal Toxic Waste Dumping on Children’s Health: A Review and Case Study from Pasir Gudang, Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-16, February.
    7. Alesia Ferguson & Courtney Del Donno & Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi & Kristina Mena & Tanu Kaur Altomare & Rosalía Guerrero & Maribeth Gidley & Larissa Montas & Helena M. Solo-Gabriele, 2019. "Children Exposure-Related Behavior Patterns and Risk Perception Associated with Recreational Beach Use," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-19, August.
    8. Alesia Ferguson & Helena Solo-Gabriele, 2016. "Children’s Exposure to Environmental Contaminants: An Editorial Reflection of Articles in the IJERPH Special Issue Entitled, “Children’s Exposure to Environmental Contaminants”," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-10, November.

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