A Review of Volatile Organic Compound Contamination in Post-Industrial Urban Centers: Reproductive Health Implications Using a Detroit Lens

Miller, Carol J.; Runge-Morris, Melissa; Cassidy-Bushrow, Andrea E.; Straughen, Jennifer K.; Dittrich, Timothy M.; Baker, Tracie R.; Petriello, Michael C.; Mor, Gil; Ruden, Douglas M.; O’Leary, Brendan F.; Teimoori, Sadaf; Tummala, Chandra M.; Heldman, Samantha; Agarwal, Manisha; Roth, Katherine; Yang, Zhao; Baker, Bridget B.

doi:10.3390/ijerph17238755

Open AccessReview

A Review of Volatile Organic Compound Contamination in Post-Industrial Urban Centers: Reproductive Health Implications Using a Detroit Lens

by

Carol J. Miller

^1,2,

Melissa Runge-Morris

^1,3,

Andrea E. Cassidy-Bushrow

^1,4,

Jennifer K. Straughen

^1,4,

Timothy M. Dittrich

^1,2,

Tracie R. Baker

^1,3,5

,

Michael C. Petriello

^1,3,5,

Gil Mor

^1,6

,

Douglas M. Ruden

^1,3,5,7,

Brendan F. O’Leary

^1,2,

Sadaf Teimoori

²,

Chandra M. Tummala

²,

Samantha Heldman

⁵

,

Manisha Agarwal

³,

Katherine Roth

³,

Zhao Yang

³ and

Bridget B. Baker

^1,3,*

¹

Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research (CLEAR)—Integrative Biosciences Center, Wayne State University, 6135 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48202, USA

²

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering—College of Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, USA

³

Institute of Environmental Health Sciences—Integrative Biosciences Center, Wayne State University, 6135 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48202, USA

⁴

Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Hospital, 1 Ford Place, Detroit, MI 48202, USA

⁵

Department of Pharmacology—School of Medicine, Wayne State University, 540 E. Canfield, Detroit, MI 48202, USA

⁶

C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Wayne State University, 275 E. Hancock, Detroit, MI 48201, USA

⁷

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, 275 E. Hancock, Detroit, MI 48201, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(23), 8755; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238755

Submission received: 22 October 2020 / Revised: 22 November 2020 / Accepted: 24 November 2020 / Published: 25 November 2020

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Health)

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Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a group of aromatic or chlorinated organic chemicals commonly found in manufactured products that have high vapor pressure, and thus vaporize readily at room temperature. While airshed VOCs are well studied and have provided insights into public health issues, we suggest that belowground VOCs and the related vapor intrusion process could be equally or even more relevant to public health. The persistence, movement, remediation, and human health implications of subsurface VOCs in urban landscapes remain relatively understudied despite evidence of widespread contamination. This review explores the state of the science of subsurface movement and remediation of VOCs through groundwater and soils, the linkages between these poorly understood contaminant exposure pathways and health outcomes based on research in various animal models, and describes the role of these contaminants in human health, focusing on birth outcomes, notably low birth weight and preterm birth. Finally, this review provides recommendations for future research to address knowledge gaps that are essential for not only tackling health disparities and environmental injustice in post-industrial cities, but also protecting and preserving critical freshwater resources.

Keywords: volatile organic compounds; vapor intrusion; adverse birth outcomes; health disparities; remediation; urban

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MDPI and ACS Style

Miller, C.J.; Runge-Morris, M.; Cassidy-Bushrow, A.E.; Straughen, J.K.; Dittrich, T.M.; Baker, T.R.; Petriello, M.C.; Mor, G.; Ruden, D.M.; O’Leary, B.F.; et al. A Review of Volatile Organic Compound Contamination in Post-Industrial Urban Centers: Reproductive Health Implications Using a Detroit Lens. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 8755. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238755

AMA Style

Miller CJ, Runge-Morris M, Cassidy-Bushrow AE, Straughen JK, Dittrich TM, Baker TR, Petriello MC, Mor G, Ruden DM, O’Leary BF, et al. A Review of Volatile Organic Compound Contamination in Post-Industrial Urban Centers: Reproductive Health Implications Using a Detroit Lens. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(23):8755. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238755

Chicago/Turabian Style

Miller, Carol J., Melissa Runge-Morris, Andrea E. Cassidy-Bushrow, Jennifer K. Straughen, Timothy M. Dittrich, Tracie R. Baker, Michael C. Petriello, Gil Mor, Douglas M. Ruden, Brendan F. O’Leary, and et al. 2020. "A Review of Volatile Organic Compound Contamination in Post-Industrial Urban Centers: Reproductive Health Implications Using a Detroit Lens" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 23: 8755. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238755

APA Style

Miller, C. J., Runge-Morris, M., Cassidy-Bushrow, A. E., Straughen, J. K., Dittrich, T. M., Baker, T. R., Petriello, M. C., Mor, G., Ruden, D. M., O’Leary, B. F., Teimoori, S., Tummala, C. M., Heldman, S., Agarwal, M., Roth, K., Yang, Z., & Baker, B. B. (2020). A Review of Volatile Organic Compound Contamination in Post-Industrial Urban Centers: Reproductive Health Implications Using a Detroit Lens. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(23), 8755. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238755

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A Review of Volatile Organic Compound Contamination in Post-Industrial Urban Centers: Reproductive Health Implications Using a Detroit Lens

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