Alarmingly high concentrations of ethylene oxide have been detected, revealing underestimated cancer risks and highlighting the urgency to improve air quality monitoring. A research team from Johns Hopkins University conducted a study revealing levels of this toxic gas well beyond safety standards.
Concentrations of ethylene oxide in Louisiana, far exceeding safety standards, have been discovered by Johns Hopkins researchers. Their mobile laboratory detected extreme levels along industrial areas, indicating a higher cancer risk than previously known.
With a state-of-the-art mobile laboratory, researchers measured ethylene oxide concentrations thousands of times above safety thresholds in certain regions of Louisiana. These levels were far beyond the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates for this area.
This research, led by Johns Hopkins environmental engineers, indicates a significantly higher cancer risk for residents near facilities using this gas. The findings highlight the need for more precise and reliable tools to monitor emissions.
Peter DeCarlo, associate professor of environmental health engineering, said that all studied areas presented an unacceptably increased cancer risk. The observed levels were much higher than EPA estimates, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Ethylene oxide is a manufactured gas used in chemical production and the sterilization of equipment. Exposure to this gas, even at low concentrations, can cause cancer, especially for those living or working near production facilities.
The toxic gas ethylene oxide, at levels thousands of times above what is considered safe, has been detected in parts of Louisiana through a state-of-the-art mobile air testing laboratory. Ethylene oxide is so toxic that long-term exposure alert levels for human health start at 11 parts per trillion. The team found levels as high as 40 parts per billion in areas near industrial facilities.
Credit: Khamar Hopkins/Johns Hopkins University
The lack of data on ethylene oxide in the air complicates the risk assessment for workers and residents. The Louisiana region, nicknamed "Cancer Alley," is particularly impacted by environmental injustices related to toxic chemical exposure.
The researchers' innovation lies in using a mobile laboratory to directly measure ethylene oxide levels. For a month, the team traveled the industrial region between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, collecting and analyzing air samples.
The results showed concentrations reaching 40 parts per billion, well beyond the acceptable threshold for lifetime exposure. These high gas levels pose significant health risks to surrounding communities.
This study demonstrates the importance of more accurate and continuous monitoring to protect the health of local populations. The recent stricter EPA regulations on ethylene oxide could benefit from these findings to better identify and monitor hotspots.