title: Health Issues of Primary School Students Residing in Proximity of an Oil Terminal with Environmental Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds.
abstract: Residential proximity to industrial sites has been associated with adverse effects on human health. Children are more susceptible to airborne environmental exposure because their immune and respiratory systems are still developing. This study aimed to investigate whether living close to an oil terminal in Genoa where there is higher VOCs exposure is associated with an increased rate of school absenteeism because of disease in primary school children. Five schools were chosen for the recruitment of children and students residing in the industrial site (A) were compared to those living in residential sites (B). Sixty-six of the 407 students involved in the project were also selected for VOC monitoring. Source apportionment was carried out by comparing profiles of VOCs; principal component analysis was performed to study the correlation between profiles, and Kriging interpolation model was used to extend profiles to all participants. The concentration means of total VOCs were significantly higher in the industrial areas compared to controls. Adjusting for potential confounders, children who lived in area A had a significantly higher risk of being absent from school due to sore throat, cough, and cold compared to controls. o-Xylene, which is dispersed during the industrial activity, showed clear evidence of a significant association with respiratory symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Mutagenesis Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Istituto Nazionale Ricerca sul Cancro, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cipolla
authors.affiliation: Clinical Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Istituto Nazionale Ricerca sul Cancro, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bruzzone
authors.affiliation: Clinical Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Istituto Nazionale Ricerca sul Cancro, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stagnaro
authors.affiliation: Clinical Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Istituto Nazionale Ricerca sul Cancro, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceppi
authors.affiliation: Mutagenesis Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Istituto Nazionale Ricerca sul Cancro, 16132 Genoa, Italy; Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Izzotti
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Unit, Azienda Sanitaria 3 Genovese, 16149 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Culotta
authors.affiliation: Mutagenesis Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Istituto Nazionale Ricerca sul Cancro, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0294-2846
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Piccardo
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D003371:Cough / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011153:Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014050:Toluene / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014992:Xylenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D014992:Xylenes; D014050:Toluene