Racial/Ethnic Differences in Exposure to Environmental Volatile Organic Compounds in the U.S. General Population: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2000

The purpose of this study was to investigate racial/ethnic differentials in exposure to airborne Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) within a national sample of the U.S. population and assessed socio demographic determinants that may contribute to these racial differences. We used data from a stratified sample of 576 participants (aged 20–59 years) who provided personal air samples for VOC measurements in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in 1999–2000. We used Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression models for statistical analyses. Compared to the exposure of the majority populations in the United States, a disproportionate burden of exposure to airborne VOCs fell on minority populations: The levels of total VOC exposure were 52% and 37% higher in Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic blacks, respectively, than in non-Hispanic whites after adjusting for socioeconomic and other covariates (p< 0.001). Socio demographic and lifestyle factors, including education, tobacco exposure, presence or absence of a window for ventilation inside the home, and gasoline use/storage, also affected levels of personal exposure to VOCs. This research study demonstrates that race/ethnicity is associated with VOC exposure independent of socioeconomic and other demographic factors. To help promote public health for communities and individuals, further efforts should be made to investigate underlying causes of racial/ethnic disparities in exposure to environmental VOCs