Air toxics concentrations, source identification, and health risks: An air pollution hot spot in southwest Memphis, TN

• Published in: Atmospheric environment (1994) Vol. 81; pp. 112 - 116
• Main Authors: Jia, Chunrong, Foran, Jeffery
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acrylonitrile; Air toxics; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Aldehyde; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer; Communities; Disparity; Environment. Living conditions; Exact sciences and technology; Health; Hot spot; Medical sciences; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; Pollution; Pollution sources; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Risk; Southwest; Toxic; Toxicology; Volatile organic compound; United States; North America; Tennessee; America; Air toxics; Volatile organic compound; Disparity; Acrylonitrile; Aldehyde; Hot spot; Nitrile; Urban area; Fluorocarbon; Organic chlorine compounds; Organic halogen compounds; Carcinogen; Halogenated hydrocarbon; Health and environment; Chlorocarbon; Organic fluorine compounds; Health hazards; Air pollution; Poison; Aromatic compound; Public health; Organic compounds; Concentration distribution
• ISSN: 1352-2310; 1873-2844
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2013.09.006

Southwest Memphis is a residential region surrounded by fossil fuel burning, steel, refining, and food processing industries, and considerable mobile sources whose emissions may pose adverse health risks to local residents. This study characterizes cancer and non-cancer risks resulting from exposure to ambient air toxics in southwest Memphis. Air toxics samples were collected at a central location every 6 days from June 5, 2008 to January 8, 2010. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were collected in evacuated stainless-steel canisters and aldehydes by DNPH cartridges, and samples were analyzed for 73 target compounds. A total of 60 compounds were detected and 39 were found in over 86% of the samples. Mean concentrations of many compounds were higher than those measured in many industrial communities throughout the U.S. The cumulative cancer risk associated with exposure to 13 carcinogens found in southwest Memphis air was 2.3 × 10−4, four times higher than the national average of 5.0 × 10−5. Three risk drivers were identified: benzene, formaldehyde, and acrylonitrile, which contributed 43%, 19%, and 14% to the cumulative risk, respectively. This is the first field study to confirm acrylonitrile as a potential risk driver. Mobile, secondary, industrial, and background sources contributed 57%, 24%, 14%, and 5% of the risk, respectively. The results of this study indicate that southwest Memphis, a region of significant income, racial, and social disparities, is also a region under significant environmental stress compared with surrounding areas and communities. •An air pollution hot spot was identified in southwest Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A.•Southwest Memphis is a low-income, minority concentrated region.•The region has a significantly higher burden of air toxics exposure.•Cumulative cancer risk was 4 times higher than the national average.•This is the first field study to confirm acrylonitrile as a risk driver.