Pesticide, allergen, PCB, and lead measurements in childcare centers located on tribal lands in the Pacific Northwest, United States

Nicolle S Tulve; Carry W Croghan; Bethany L Plewe; Holly Thompson Duffy; Katie Adams; Theresa McBride; Christopher Pace; Doug Wood; Christopher Fish

doi:10.1038/s41370-023-00602-5

Pesticide, allergen, PCB, and lead measurements in childcare centers located on tribal lands in the Pacific Northwest, United States

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2023 Sep 11. doi: 10.1038/s41370-023-00602-5. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Nicolle S Tulve¹, Carry W Croghan², Bethany L Plewe³, Holly Thompson Duffy⁴, Katie Adams³, Theresa McBride³, Christopher Pace³, Doug Wood³, Christopher Fish⁵

Affiliations

¹ United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA. tulve.nicolle@epa.gov.
² United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
³ United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, Seattle, WA, USA.
⁴ Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, Portland, OR, USA.
⁵ Indian Health Service, Portland, OR, USA.

PMID: 37696976
DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00602-5

Abstract

Background: Children's potential exposures to chemical and biological agents in tribal childcare centers are not well characterized.

Objectives: (1) The environmental health of childcare centers in Portland Area Indian Country was characterized by measuring selected pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), allergens, and lead (Pb) in outdoor soil and indoor dust. (2) We compared our results to other studies of childcare centers in both the United States and globally.

Methods: At 31 tribal childcare centers in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, we collected indoor dust and outdoor soil samples from at least one classroom, multipurpose room, and outdoor play area. Number of rooms sampled depended on facility size. Surface wipes were collected from the floor, play/work surface, and windowsill and analyzed for selected pesticides and PCBs. Vacuum samples were collected from the floor and analyzed for selected allergens. Lead was measured in surface wipes and outdoor soil collected at 11 centers. A questionnaire collected information on demographics, cleaning habits, and pesticide usage.

Results: At least one pesticide was measured at all childcare centers. cis-Permethrin (surface wipes: 0.003-180 ng/cm²), trans-permethrin (surface wipes: 0.002-200 ng/cm²) and piperonyl butoxide (surface wipes: 0.001-120 ng/cm²) were measured in all centers. Lead was measured in most surface wipes (<0.25-14 ng/cm²) and all outdoor soil samples (8.4-50 mg/kg). Aroclors 1242 and 1254 were detected on indoor surfaces in three centers at very low loadings. Allergen residues were measured at very low concentrations in vacuum dust samples (Der p 1: <0.012-0.12 µg/g; Der f 1: <0.012-0.09 µg/g; Mus m 1: <0.002-10.055 µg/g). In general, we observed lower levels of chemical and biological agents than what has been reported previously.

Significance: By understanding the environmental health of childcare centers, we can better understand the role of child-specific environments in promoting children's health and well-being.

Impact statement: To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize the environmental health of tribal childcare centers in the Pacific Northwest. Combined with the information we have on childcare centers from around the world, this study expands our knowledge on young children's potential exposures to chemical and biological agents in locations where they spend significant amounts of time.

Keywords: Agents; Biological; Chemical; Childcare; Dust; Environmental; Soil; Tribal.