Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Exposures and Neurobehavioral Function in GuLF STUDY Participants

摘要

Background: The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill released over 5 million barrels of crude oil and exposed tens of thousands of clean-up workers to hydrocarbons and other harmful chemicals. Some hydrocarbons, such as toluene and xylene, have been found to have acute adverse effects on the central nervous system. However, no studies have examined the association between oil spill exposures and human neurobehavioral function. Methods: To examine how maximum total hydrocarbon (THC) exposure and various job classes are associated with neurobehavioral function, we used data from the GuLF STUDY (Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study), a large cohort of adults who worked on the DWH clean-up and response. THC exposure was estimated from a job-exposure matrix that linked air measurement data to self-reported job data. Participants were categorized into 6 job classes based on their job with the likely highest exposure. Several neurobehavioral outcomes were assessed at clinical exams 4-6 years after the spill with the Behavioral Assessment and Research System (BARS). We conducted multivariable linear regression of the relationships between maximum THC level and job classes with 15 neurobehavioral outcomes, stratified by smoking. Results: Never smokers performed better than current smokers on 12 of the 15 neurobehavioral outcomes. We observed significant associations between maximum THC level and decreased neurobehavioral performance for attention, response speed, and visual memory among never smokers, but no associations were observed among former or current smokers. By job class, never smokers who worked near the wellhead had higher THC exposure and lower neurobehavioral performance, especially in complex functions and memory, compared to administrative workers with low exposure. Conclusion: Oil spill exposure may be associated with impaired neurobehavioral function, especially memory and attention, but this effect appears to be limited to never smokers.