TEAM (Total Exposure Assessment Methodology) Study: personal exposures to toxic substances in air, drinking water, and breath of 400 residents of New Jersey, North Carolina, and North Dakota
EPA's TEAM Study has measured exposures to 20 volatile organic compounds in personal air, outdoor air, drinking water, and breath of approximately 400 residents of New Jersey, North Carolina, and North Dakota. All residents were selected by a probability sampling scheme to represent 128,000 inhabitants of Elizabeth and Bayonne, New Jersey, 131,000 residents of Greensboro, North Carolina, and 7000 residents of Devils Lake, North Dakota. Participants carried a personal monitor to collect two 12-hr air samples and gave a breath sample at the end of the day. Two consecutive 12-hr outdoor air samples were also collected on identical Tenax cartridges in the backyards of some of the participants. About 5000 samples were collected, of which 1500 were quality control samples. Ten compounds were often present in personal air and breath samples at all locations. Personal exposures were consistently higher than outdoor concentrations for these chemicals and were sometimes 10 times the outdoor concentrations. Indoor sources appeared to be responsible for much of the difference. Breath concentrations also often exceeded outdoor concentrations and correlated more strongly with personal exposures than with outdoor concentrations. Some activities (smoking, visiting dry cleaners or service stations) and occupations (chemical, paint, and plastics plants) were associated with significantly elevated exposures and breath levels for certain toxic chemicals. Homes with smokers had significantly increased benzene and styrene levels in indoor air. Residence near major point sources did not affect exposure.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
- OSTI ID:
- 6367096
- Journal Information:
- Environ. Res.; (United States), Vol. 43:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Personal exposures, indoor and outdoor air concentrations, and exhaled breath concentrations of selected volatile organic compounds measured for 600 residents of New Jersey, North Dakota, North Carolina and California
Total exposure assessment methodology (TEAM) study: Elizabeth and Bayonne, New Jersey, Devils Lake, North Dakota and Greensboro, North Carolina. Volume 2, parts 1 and 2. Final report
Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BENZENE
POLLUTION SOURCES
TOXICITY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
STYRENE
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
DRINKING WATER
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
MAN
NEW JERSEY
NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH DAKOTA
PROBABILITY
RESPIRATION
US EPA
VOLATILITY
WATER POLLUTION
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
FEDERAL REGION II
FEDERAL REGION IV
FEDERAL REGION VIII
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
VERTEBRATES
WATER
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)