Deepwater Horizon oil spill exposures and neurobehavioral function in GuLF study participants

Arbor J.L Quist; Diane S Rohlman; Richard K Kwok; Patricia A Stewart; Mark R Stenzel; Aaron Blair; Aubrey K Miller; Matthew D Curry; Dale P Sandler; Lawrence S Engel

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2019.108834

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Deepwater Horizon oil spill exposures and neurobehavioral function in GuLF study participants

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Deepwater Horizon oil spill exposures and neurobehavioral function in GuLF study participants

Arbor J.L Quist, Diane S Rohlman, Richard K Kwok, Patricia A Stewart, Mark R Stenzel, Aaron Blair, Aubrey K Miller, Matthew D Curry, Dale P Sandler and Lawrence S Engel

Environmental research, Vol.179(Pt B), pp.108834-108834

12/2019

DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108834

PMCID: PMC6878206

PMID: 31703974

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/6878206View

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Abstract

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster exposed tens of thousands of oil spill response and cleanup (OSRC) workers to hydrocarbons and other hazardous chemicals. Some hydrocarbons, such as toluene and hexane, have been found to have acute adverse effects on the central nervous system in occupational settings. However, no studies have examined the association between oil spill exposures and neurobehavioral function. We used data from the Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study, a cohort of adults who worked on the DWH response and cleanup. Total hydrocarbon (THC) exposure attributed to oil spill cleanup work was estimated from a job-exposure matrix linking air measurement data to detailed cleanup work histories. Participants were also categorized into 6 job categories, or OSRC classes, based on their activity with the highest exposure. Neurobehavioral performance was assessed at a clinical exam 4–6 years after the spill. We used multivariable linear regression to evaluate relationships of ordinal THC levels and OSRC classes with 16 neurobehavioral outcomes. We found limited evidence of associations between THC levels or OSRC classes and decreased neurobehavioral function, including attention, memory, and executive function. Workers exposed to ≥3 ppm THC scored significantly worse (difference1.0–2.9ppm = -0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.74, −0.04) than workers exposed to <0.30 ppm THC for the digit span forward count test. There was also a possible threshold effect above 1 ppm THC for symbol digit test total errors (difference1.0–2.9ppm = −0.56 (95% CI = −1.13, −0.003), difference≥3.0ppm = −0.55 (95% CI = −1.20, 0.10)). Associations appeared to be stronger in men than in women. A summary latency measure suggested an association between more highly exposed jobs (especially support of operations workers) and decreased neurobehavioral function. OSRC-related exposures were associated with modest decreases in neurobehavioral function, especially attention, memory, and executive function. •Attention, memory, and executive function may be impaired by oil spill cleanup exposures.•Adverse association between job and executive function was strongest in operations workers.•Adverse associations tended to be slightly stronger in men than in women.

Disasters

Hydrocarbons

Neurobehavioral function

Occupational epidemiology

Oil spills

Details

Title: Subtitle: Deepwater Horizon oil spill exposures and neurobehavioral function in GuLF study participants
Creators: Arbor J.L Quist - Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Diane S Rohlman - Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Richard K Kwok - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
Patricia A Stewart - Stewart Exposure Assessments LLC, Arlington, VA, USA
Mark R Stenzel - Exposure Assessment Applications LLC, Arlington, VA, USA
Aaron Blair - Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA
Aubrey K Miller - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
Matthew D Curry - Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., Durham, NC, USA
Dale P Sandler - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
Lawrence S Engel - Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Environmental research, Vol.179(Pt B), pp.108834-108834
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108834
PMID: 31703974
PMCID: PMC6878206
NLM abbreviation: Environ Res
ISSN: 0013-9351
eISSN: 1096-0953
Publisher: Elsevier Inc
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/100000066, name: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, award: T32ES007018; DOI: 10.13039/100000002, name: NIH; DOI: 10.13039/100000002, name: NIH; DOI: 10.13039/100000066, name: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, award: ZO1 ES 102945
Language: English
Date published: 12/2019
Academic Unit: Occupational and Environmental Health; International Programs; Injury Prevention Research Center
Record Identifier: 9984214841802771

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