Differences in personal care product use by race/ethnicity among women in California: implications for chemical exposures

Background Personal care products may contain many chemicals, some of which are suspected endocrine disrupters. This is an important source of chemical exposure for women, but little is known about how chemical exposure differs among different races/ethnicities. Objective This study examines differences in personal care product use among Black, Latina, Vietnamese, Mixed Race, and White women in California. Methods We used a community-based participatory process to create and administer a personal care product usage survey to 321 Black, Latina, Vietnamese, Mixed Race, and White women. We used multivariate regression models with pairwise comparisons to examine the frequency of product use by race/ethnicity. Results We found distinct trends of personal care product use by race/ethnicity: Latina women typically used makeup most frequently; Black women used certain hair products or styles most frequently; and Vietnamese women were most likely to use facial cleansing products compared to other races/ethnicities. Latina and Vietnamese women were less likely to try to avoid certain ingredients in their products. Significance These findings can help estimate disparities in chemical exposure from personal care product use and complement future research on health inequities due to chemical exposures in the larger environmental and social context.

Multiple metals in children’s deciduous teeth: results from a community-initiated pilot study

Background Characterizing retrospective exposure to toxicants during multiple early-life developmental periods is challenging, yet critical for understanding developmental effects. Objective To characterize early-life metal exposure using deciduous teeth in a community concerned about past exposures. Methods Naturally shed teeth were collected from 30 children ages 5–13 years who resided in Holliston, Massachusetts since conception. We estimated weekly prenatal and postnatal (up to 1 year of age) exposure to 12 metals by measuring dentine concentrations using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Multivariable linear mixed models were used to explore sociodemographic, dietary, and behavioral correlates of dentine metal concentrations. Results Temporal trends in dentine levels differed by metal. Source of milk during the first year of life was associated with dentine barium (Ba) levels, where being fed predominantly breastmilk was associated with 39% (95% CI: –57%, –13%) lower dentine Ba compared to predominantly formula use. Females had higher prenatal and postnatal dentine Mn and Pb, compared to males (e.g., % difference, postnatal Mn: 122% (17%, 321%); postnatal Pb: 60% (95% CI: –8%, 178%)). Significance Deciduous teeth provide retrospective information on dose and timing of early-life metals exposure at high resolution. We demonstrate their utility in a community-based study with known past contamination of drinking water. Impact statement We conducted a community-initiated pilot study in a community concerned with historical exposure to multiple metals. Using deciduous teeth, a novel noninvasive biomarker, we characterized early-life exposure to 12 metals in approximately weekly increments during sensitive developmental periods, thus demonstrating the utility of this biomarker in communities concerned with past exposures.

Global event-based surveillance of chemical incidents

Background The number of chemicals in our society and in our daily lives continues to increase. Accompanying this is an increasing risk of human exposure to and injury from hazardous substances. Performing regular, structured surveillance of chemical incidents allows a greater awareness of the types of chemical hazards causing injury and the frequency of their occurrence, as well as providing a better understanding of exposures. Objective The objective of performing event-based surveillance (EBS) and capturing chemical incidents is to use this information to increase the situational awareness of chemical incidents, improve the management of these incidents and to inform measures to protect public health. Methods This paper describes a method for EBS for chemical incidents, including the sources used, storing the gathered information and subsequent analysis of potential trends in the data. Results We describe trends in the type of incidents that have been detected, the chemicals involved in these incidents and the health effects caused, in different geographic regions of the world. Significance The methodology presented here provides a rapid and simple means of identifying chemical incidents that can be set up rapidly and with minimal cost, the outputs of which can be used to identify emerging risks and inform preparedness planning, response and training for chemical incidents.