A post-remediation assessment in Jersey City of the association of hexavalent chromium in house dust and urinary chromium in children.
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/m(2) (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/m(2)). 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.
Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Kathleen
K
Black
Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Michael
M
Gochfeld
Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Paul J
PJ
Lioy
Division of Public Health Infrastructure, New Jersey Department of Health, Laboratories for Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Testing Laboratory, Program of Chemical Terrorism, Biomonitoring, and Food Service, Ewing, NJ, USA.
Zhi-Hua Tina
ZH
Fan
Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Chang Ho
CH
Yu
Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience Division of Life Sciences Rutgers University, Nelson Labs, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Chris
C
Jeitner
Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Marta
M
Hernandez
Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Stephanie A
SA
Einstein
Office of Science, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton, NJ, USA.|Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Alan H
AH
Stern
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine*; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009515:New Jersey
D004391:Dust; D002857:Chromium; C074702:chromium hexavalent ion