Pediatric anxiety and/or depression problems : associations with PM10, fly ash, and metal exposure.

pediatric anxiety and depression;metal exposure;coal ash;fly ash;southwest Louisville;copper

Abby Nicole Burns Hagemeyer

University:University of Louisville

Department:Epidemiology and Population Health

关键词: pediatric anxiety and depression;    metal exposure;    coal ash;    fly ash;    southwest Louisville;    copper;   

Others  :  https://ir.library.louisville.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3747&context=etd

美国|英语

来源: The Universite of Louisville's Institutional Repository

【 摘 要 】

Background: In the last several decades, the use of coal has become more prevalent in turn increasing the amount of coal ash being produced. Coal ash, the by-product of coal combustion, is composed of small particles that contain essential elements, hazardous metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and radioactive material. While a small proportion of coal ash is reused, the majority gets discarded in open-air landfills and ash ponds. Fly ash, the major component of coal ash, can become emitted into the air and potentially contribute to the air pollution and metal exposure in the surrounding community. Few studies, particularly in the United States, have investigated the relationship between coal ash and adverse health effects in children. Furthermore, because children are still developing both physically and neurologically they are more susceptible to the potential harms of coal ash and more vulnerable to the excess exposure of heavy metals and essential elements found in coal ash. The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 1.5 million children are exposed to coal ash. Though the mechanisms are still unclear, metal exposure has been linked to mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between PM10, fly ash, and metal exposure and anxiety and/or depression problems in children aged 6-14 years, living near two coal ash storage facilities, and who were recruited in the first 16 months of an ongoing study. Methods: To determine anxiety and depression, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was completed for children residing in neighborhoods surrounding two large coal ash storage facilities. In-home air samples were collected and analyzed with Proton-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to assess PM10, fly ash, and home environmental metal exposure. Toenail and fingernail samples were collected and analyzed with PIXE to assess metal body burden exposure. Logistic regression models, adjusting for potential covariates, were used to assess the relationship between in-home PM10, fly ash, metal exposure, and metal body burden and three primary outcomes determined from the CBCL: anxiety problems, withdrawn/depressed problems, and anxious/depressed problems. Results: High copper body burden was significantly associated with anxiety problems (AOR=10.3, 95% CI: 1.53-69.3, p-value=0.02), withdrawn/depressed problems (AOR=21.7, 95% CI: 1.96-240, p-value=0.01), and anxious/depressed problems (AOR=52.1, 95% CI: 2.96-919, p-value=0.01). Presence of manganese in the body was significantly associated with anxiety problems (AOR=9.03, 95% CI: 1.40-58.4, p-value=0.02) and anxious/depressed problems (AOR=8.72, 95% CI: 1.39-54.7, p-value=0.02). High filter