Pilot Study of Children’s Exposure to CCA-Treated Wood from Playground Equipment Brian Buckley, Lora E. Fleming, Rogelio Vega, Michael Laas Lloyd, Stuart Shalat, Helena Solo-Gabriele, Wendy B Stephan, Tomoyuki Shibata

Funding NIEHS Environmental Health Center (Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson NJ Medical College) NIEHS Marine & Freshwater Biomedical Sciences Center (University of Miami)

Background Treated Wood: Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) Most common wood preservative in USA (>75%) Total Arsenic:1900 mg/kg-19,000 Cumulative Arsenic in service: 330,000 tonnes As(V) New Wood; As(V) & As(III) Aged Wood Studies Have Shown that CCA is “Dislodged” by Touching the Wood ( i.e. “Dislodgeable Arsenic) Arsenic can also be absorbed through skin

Background Human Health Effects Arsenobetaine [(CH 3 ) 3 AsCH 2 COOH] Seafood As (III) > As (V) Acute: GI, Cardiac, Renal, Nervous System Chronic: Nervous (CNS & PNS), Dermatologic, Peripheral Vascular, Hepatic –Cancer: Dermatologic, Pulmonary, Hepatic, Bladder, Hematopoietic

Background Childhood Exposure Age dependent Behavior (Pesticide research) –Food Handling & Non Dietary Ingestion Soil Ingestion by children: 40 to 100 mg/day –Hand-Mouth & Object-Mouth Activity Mean hourly frequencies (age 2-4 yrs): x/hour Childhood Vulnerability –Neurologic System

Background CCA-treated wood subject of EPA evaluation under FIFRA, including Scientific Review Panel and Risk Assessment for residential settings and potential exposure to children. On 2/12/02, EPA Administrator Whitman announced voluntary decision by industry to move consumer use of treated lumber products away from a variety of pressure-treated wood that contains arsenic by 12/31/03, in favor of new alternative wood preservatives. PROBLEM: CCA-TREATED WOOD IN USE EVERYWHERE!

Miami Dade County CCA Playgrounds

Devonnaire Park

Specific Aims Determine levels of Arsenic present in playgrounds made from CCA-treated wood; Determine if dislodgeable Arsenic from CCA- treated playground structures is present on children’s hands by administering hand rinses; Determine if levels of Arsenic on children’s hands are associated with levels of Arsenic measurable in children’s urine.

Methods Human Subjects Approval –Multi-Institutional Protocols –Consent Forms –Educational Materials English & Spanish

Methods Environmental Assessment –Confirm CCA Treatment of Playgrounds (Completed) –Soil (Completed) –Wood Wipe

Confirmation of CCA Treatment As Test Kit As Specific Stain Plus Regular Acid Digestion With ICP-MS

Wipe Test

Methods Hands –Tracing (surface area) –Rinse (pre/post exposure) Urine –Diaper Insert or Cup 12 hours later (Speciated) Arsenic & Metabolites

Methods Questionnaire –Household arsenic exposures CCA wood, occupations, seafood –Child Behavior Hand to mouth –Demographics English & Spanish

Methods Pilot Study: 10 Subjects (15-36 months) Subject Payment –$25 gift certificate Outreach & Education –Educational Materials –Follow up with Subjects & Families

Future Studies Increase Study Population Sample Size Increase Individual Exposure Assessment –Playground assessment –Other sources of CCA and arsenic Increase Individual Behavioral Evaluation –Videotape and analysis Longitudinal Evaluation –Including intervention results Outreach & Education