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We might not think a lot about the dust in our homes until it causes an unsightly layer of gray fluff on our furniture or makes us sneeze. However, depending on where you live, the dust wafting into your house may be worse for you than you think. This is especially true if you live close to a parking lot sealed with coal-tar sealants (CTS). [Editor's Note: An excellent resource on this subject is http://coaltarfreeamerica.blogspot.com/.]
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Coal-tar sealants contain exceptionally high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are a group of compounds that have similar structure. They are typically formed when organic materials such as coal and oil are not completely burned. They have been classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as potential carcinogens.1
One of the few studies that have examined the potential health affects of PAHs from these materials in dust and soils is a recent study involving the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Baylor University toxicologist, E. Spencer Williams. The authors calculated potential cancer risk in five scenarios. In the study, they used benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) equivalents since B[a]P is proposed to be the most potent carcinogen of the PAHs.1 They found that soil near asphalt sealed with CTS was the “primary driver of [cancer] risk” but that household dust found in homes near sealed parking lots was a close second.
How much risk? They found that the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR)* from soil and dust exceeds 1 x 10-4 “using deterministic and probabilistic methods”. Maximum exposure to household dust in early stages of development (0-6 years of age) could cause an “estimated ELCR of 6 x 10-5”. Considering the EPA’s view of these ELCRs, the risk factors merit remediation.
Overall, this study raises a red flag over the safety of coal-tar sealants used near homes or schools. The excess lifetime cancer risk from PAHs found in soil and household dust near asphalt sealed with CTS is significant and deserves further attention.
You can read more about this study here: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es303371t.
Additional Resources:
Field Test for Coal Tar Sealant Determination
What if CTS is on My Driveway?
Additional References:
1Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
*The additional or extra risk of developing cancer due to exposure to a toxic substance incurred over the lifetime of an individual. - http://www.opentoxipedia.org/index.php/Excess_Lifetime_Cancer_Risk_(ELCR)
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