Assessing Metal Exposures Among Children Living in Environmental Justice Communities Near Metal Recycling Facilities in Houston, Texas

Abstract

Background: Children living in environmental justice (EJ) neighborhoods may be vulnerable to metal exposure from industrial facilities that are located near their homes. Methods: Working with community partners, we held 20 recruitment events and invited children aged 5–12 and their parents living in EJ communities in Houston to participate in an environmental health study. Parents completed a questionnaire about their child's diet and behaviors and urine samples were collected from children to evaluate their metal exposure. Results: During a 4-month period, we recruited 52 out of 67 (78%) eligible parent/child dyads with 96% of children providing urine samples and 90% of questionnaires complete except for data on children's height and weight. While urinary metal concentrations in our study population were generally similar compared with children aged 6–11 years in the 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we observed higher levels among children who frequently ate Mexican candy, rice, or red meat, spent more time outdoors, played with cosmetics, had metal piercings, or lived in a home with smokers or where pesticides were used. Discussion: Our study was successful in recruiting children in EJ communities for the purpose of assessing urinary metal exposure and obtaining questionnaire data from parents to examine the potential sources of exposure. Except for chromium and cobalt, 14 metals were detected in more than half of children's urine samples. We identified potential key determinants of exposure in this population that should be further examined. Conclusion: Findings point to the need for adequately powered studies among potentially vulnerable children living in EJ communities to profile metal exposures and identify important sources of these exposures.