TY - JOUR
T1 - Neurobehavioral effects of exposure to trichloroethylene through a municipal water supply
AU - Reif, John S.
AU - Burch, James B.
AU - Nuckols, John R.
AU - Metzger, Linda
AU - Ellington, David
AU - Anger, W. Kent
N1 - Funding Information:
This report was supported in part by funds from the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) trust fund provided to the Colorado State University Department of Environmental Health, under Grant No. H75/ATH881505 from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Public Health Service, US Department of Health and Human Services. This study was conducted under the approval of the Human Research Committee, Office of Regulatory Compliance, Colorado State University.
PY - 2003/11
Y1 - 2003/11
N2 - We studied a population-based sample of 143 residents of a community in which the municipal water supply had been contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and related chemicals from several adjacent hazardous waste sites between 1981 and 1986. A hydraulic simulation model was used in conjunction with a geographic information system (GIS) to estimate residential water supply exposures to TCE; 80% of the participants had potential TCE exposure exceeding the maximum contaminant level (5ppb). The Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB), tests of visual contrast sensitivity, and the profile of mood states (POMS) were administered approximately 6 years following peak concentrations of TCE in municipal drinking water. Multivariate analysis of variance adjusted for potential confounders was used to compare mean test scores of residents classified by estimated TCE exposure (≤5, >5-10, >10-15, >15ppb). TCE exposure >15ppb was associated with poorer performance on the digit symbol, contrast sensitivity C test, and contrast sensitivity D test and higher mean scores for confusion, depression, and tension. We found evidence of a strong interaction between exposure to TCE and alcohol consumption; the associations for the NCTB and POMS among persons in the high-exposure group who also consumed alcohol were stronger and were statistically significant for the Benton, digit symbol, digit span, and simple reaction time tests, as well as for confusion, depression, and tension. This study adds to the evidence that long-term exposure to low concentrations of TCE is associated with neurobehavioral deficits and demonstrates the usefulness of GIS-based modeling in exposure assessment.
AB - We studied a population-based sample of 143 residents of a community in which the municipal water supply had been contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and related chemicals from several adjacent hazardous waste sites between 1981 and 1986. A hydraulic simulation model was used in conjunction with a geographic information system (GIS) to estimate residential water supply exposures to TCE; 80% of the participants had potential TCE exposure exceeding the maximum contaminant level (5ppb). The Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB), tests of visual contrast sensitivity, and the profile of mood states (POMS) were administered approximately 6 years following peak concentrations of TCE in municipal drinking water. Multivariate analysis of variance adjusted for potential confounders was used to compare mean test scores of residents classified by estimated TCE exposure (≤5, >5-10, >10-15, >15ppb). TCE exposure >15ppb was associated with poorer performance on the digit symbol, contrast sensitivity C test, and contrast sensitivity D test and higher mean scores for confusion, depression, and tension. We found evidence of a strong interaction between exposure to TCE and alcohol consumption; the associations for the NCTB and POMS among persons in the high-exposure group who also consumed alcohol were stronger and were statistically significant for the Benton, digit symbol, digit span, and simple reaction time tests, as well as for confusion, depression, and tension. This study adds to the evidence that long-term exposure to low concentrations of TCE is associated with neurobehavioral deficits and demonstrates the usefulness of GIS-based modeling in exposure assessment.
KW - Alcohol
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Geographic information system
KW - Neurobehavioral testing
KW - Solvents
KW - Trichloroethylene
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U2 - 10.1016/S0013-9351(03)00131-2
DO - 10.1016/S0013-9351(03)00131-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 14615234
AN - SCOPUS:0242522283
SN - 0013-9351
VL - 93
SP - 248
EP - 258
JO - Environmental Research
JF - Environmental Research
IS - 3
ER -