Abstract
ObjectivesWe studied subjective health symptoms in a population accidentally exposed to high styrene concentrations in drinking tap water. The contamination occurred during the reparation of a water tank.MethodsResidents of 27 apartments in two buildings using the contaminated water were contacted. A questionnaire on subjective symptoms was administered to 84 out of 93 persons living in the apartments at the time of the accident. Styrene concentration was measured in samples of water collected two days after the accident. The means of exposure associated with appearance of symptoms were examined through case-control analyses.ResultsStyrene in water reached concentrations up to 900 μg/L. Symptoms were reported by 46 persons (attack rate 55 %). The most frequent symptoms were irritation of the throat (26%), nose (19%), eyes (18%) and the skin (14%). General gastrointestinal symptoms were observed with 11% reporting abdominal pain and 7% diarrhea. The factors most strongly associated with symptoms were drinking tap water (OR = 7.8, 95% CI 1.3–48), exposure to vapors from the basement (OR = 10.4, 2.3–47) and eating foods prepared with tap water (OR = 8.6, 1.9–40). All residents in the ground floor reported symptoms.ConclusionsThis accidental contamination led to very high styrene concentrations in water and was related to a high prevalence of subjective symptoms of the eyes, respiratory tract and skin. Similar exposures have been described in workers but not in subjects exposed at their residence. Various gastrointestinal symptoms were also observed in this population probably due to a local irritative effect.
Highlights
Castellón, NE Spain informed the local authorities thatOn December 10, 1999, residents of a neighborhood at drinking tap water had a strong solvent-type smell andEnvironmental Health: A Global Access Science Source 2003, 2 http://www.ehjournal.net/content/2/1/6produced nausea and various other health symptoms when consumed
A self-reported questionnaire (Annex 1 – see table 5) was administered requesting information on socio-demographic factors, various subjective symptoms, and a list of activities potentially related to individual exposure, such as drinking tap water, eating foods prepared with tap water, bathing or showering
The factors most strongly associated with the occurrence of symptoms were drinking tap water (OR = 7.8), exposure to vapors from the basement (OR = 10.4) and eating foods prepared with tap water after the occurrence of the contamination (OR = 8.6)
Summary
NE Spain informed the local authorities thatOn December 10, 1999, residents of a neighborhood at drinking tap water had a strong solvent-type smell and (page number not for citation purposes)Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source 2003, 2 http://www.ehjournal.net/content/2/1/6produced nausea and various other health symptoms when consumed. On December 10, 1999, residents of a neighborhood at drinking tap water had a strong solvent-type smell and (page number not for citation purposes). Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source 2003, 2 http://www.ehjournal.net/content/2/1/6. Produced nausea and various other health symptoms when consumed. Drinking water was pumped to the apartments from a tank adjacent to a fire-protection water tank that was repaired and waterproofed some hours earlier (Figure 1). To facilitate drying, a fan was used which forced vapors from the repaired tank to the drinking water tank. The odor was perceived on the same day of the reparation work, first at the the water tanks, the parking place and later in other parts of the buildings. Residents reported that a thin gelatinous layer could be seen on the water in the tank
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