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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Kaye H. Kilburn, MD, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2025 Zonal Avenue, CSC 201, Los Angeles, CA 90033, (323) 442-1830, kilburn@usc.edu
We addressed the question does hydrogen sulfide from agricultural operations harm people exposed downwind and at work. Several small groups of neighbors near lagoons of hog husbandry and hide processing were tested using 26 tests for neurobehavioral function. These include sensitive measurements of balance, reaction time, color vision and visual fields and cognition: recall memory, problem solving, attention-concentration and peripheral perception. Exposed subjects measurements were compared to their calculated predicted values and expressed as percent predicted. The H2S exposed groups had significantly impaired balance, slowed reaction time, errors in color recognition and impaired recall. H2S doses were estimated as 1 to 24 parts per million (ppm) and durations of exposure ranged from minutes to years. These fragmentary observations fit into a mosaic, an emerging pattern of permanent damage from H2S exposure in which balance, reaction time, color vision and recall vision are the key impairments. With greater exposure visual fields are constricted and problem solving speed and concept juggling ability are decreased. The farm neighbors compared to other downwind groups studied with these methods will be presented.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to
Keywords: Environmental Health, Food and Nutrition
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.