Quantified Micro-Level Activity Data for Children Aged 1-12 Years Old Playing on Turf and Playgrounds

摘要

The use of synthetic turf in sport fields, parks, yards, and playgrounds in many communities is gaining popularity as a substitute to natural grass. However, there is growing concern regarding the exposure to toxicants released from recycled tire rubber, which is commonly used as an infill material in synthetic turf and playground mats. To better estimate the aggregate exposure and risk to recycled tire rubber used in synthetic turf and playground floors, there is a need to collect detailed information on mouthing activity and dermal contact behaviors. Thus, micro-level activity time series (MLATS) of children aged 1-12 years was analyzed to quantify these behaviors while children played on turf-like locations such as parks, yards, and playgrounds. MLATS data was extracted from a preexisting dataset of 56 children playing outdoors. Hand and mouth contact frequency, hourly duration, and median contact duration with different objects were calculated for children playing on turf (n = 56), and for children playing on playground structures (n = 24). For children playing on turf, age was negatively correlated with mouthing activity for non-dietary objects. There were significant differences between younger (1-5 years old) and older children (6-12 years old) groups for the mouthing median duration with hands, non-dietary objects and all objects. Males had significantly higher hourly contact duration of both hands with non-dietary objects than females. For children playing on playground structures, although there were no significant differences between genders, there were significant differences between younger (1-5 years old) and older children (6-12 years old) groups for the mouthing frequency with non-dietary objects and all objects, and for mouthing median duration with non-dietary objects. In conclusion, age and contact duration should be considered in performing risk assessment models for mouthing activities when children are playing on artificial turf surfaces.