Exposure to oil spill chemicals and lung function in Deepwater Horizon disaster response workers

Abstract

Objective

To assess the relationship between total hydrocarbon (THc) exposures attributed to oil spill clean-up work and lung function 1-3 years after the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster.

Methods

We used data from the GuLF STUDY, a large cohort of adults who worked on response to the DWH disaster and others who were safety trained but not hired. We analyzed data from 6,288 workers with two acceptable spirometry tests. We estimated THc exposure levels from a job exposure matrix. We evaluated lung function using the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV ₁; mL), the forced vital capacity (FVC; mL) and the FEV ₁/FVC ratio (%).

Results

Lung function measures did not differ by THc exposure levels among clean-up workers.

Conclusions

We did not observe an association between THc exposure and lung function among clean-up workers 1-3 years following the DWH disaster.