Results from the Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) study in selected communities in Northern and Southern California

Abstract

Volatile organic compound levels (VOCs) in breath, personal air, fixed outdoor air and drinking water samples were measured and compared for a probability sample of individuals in Los Angeles and Antioch/Pittsburg, California during 1984. In addition, comparisons were made between seasons (winter vs spring) in Los Angeles for individuals sampled in both seasons. The statistics presented to compare the sites and seasons were primarily percent measurable and concentration levels (e.g. sample medians). For most comparisons, 13 VOC levels were examined for breath, personal and outdoor air samples and four VOCs for water samples. In addition to the results for VOC levels, the paper also briefly describes 1. (i) the sampling procedures used to obtain the study participants 2. (ii) the collection of air, breath and water samples 3. (iii) selected results from the quality assurance procedures used in this study. For most chemicals, the percent measurable and concentration levels were 1. (i) higher in personal air samples than in breath or outdoor air samples, 2. (ii) higher in Los Angeles in the winter for air and breath than in the, spring, 3. (iii) higher in Los Angeles for air and breath than in Antioch/Pittsburg, 4. (iv) quite different for water as compared with air and breath. Ubiquitous compounds in water were chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform while in air and breath they were 1,1,1-trichloroethane, benzene, tetrachloroethylene, ethylbenzene and the xylenes. Concentrations were higher in 1. (i) outdoor air vs breath in the winter in Los Angeles (where outdoor air levels were much higher than in the spring), 2. (ii) in personal air vs outdoor air in the upper tails of the concentration distribution (90th percentile) compared to the 50th percentile. For the water samples, relatively high concentrations were noted for chloroform, bromodichloromethane and dibromochloromethane. In most cases, water concentrations were higher for Los Angeles in the spring. Five VOCs known to be in tobacco smoke (benzene, styrene, ethylbenzene and the xylenes) had significantly higher levels in the breath of smokers.