Personal Environmental Exposure Assessment using Wristbands for Epidemiological Studies in Disadvantaged Communities

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Accurately assessing a person's exposures to putative environmental toxicants is central to the challenge of studying environmental health effects. The lack of low cost, easy-to-use personal sampling technology hinders epidemiological studies especially in disadvantaged populations. Our passive wristband sampler was developed to provide a relevant, quantifiable assessment. We propose to introduce an improved approach for measuring and characterizing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in disadvantaged communities. In phase 1 (R21), in an ongoing epidemiological cohort study of pregnant women in NYC, the performance of 4 exposure assessment methodologies will be evaluated with twenty-five pregnant volunteers recruited from a community health clinic located in northern Manhattan. In collaboration with a 501c3 environmental justice community organization, we have further advanced the passive wristband sampler to be an integrated mobile exposure device to capture uniquely-linked exposure and health information in their industrialized neighborhood in Eugene, Oregon. Upon completion of Phase 1 milestones, we will further assess the integration of personal exposure measurements with epidemiology studies of childhood respiratory symptoms in NYC and adult asthma exacerbation in Eugene to assess the relationships between air pollutants, location, and health outcomes in these disadvantaged communities. Through the R33 phase of this project, we will provide proof of principle demonstration that passive wristband samplers can be used for personalized exposure assessment and linkage to health outcomes. Data and results will be made available to our participants and their communities through novel and appropriate data visualization.