Preliminary Pesticide, PCB, Lead, and Allergen Concentrations Measured in Licensed Tribal Child Care Centers in the Pacific Northwest
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Children’s potential exposures to chemical and biological agents in tribal childcare centers are not well characterized. As a result, the environmental health of selected childcare centers in Portland Area Indian Country (all federally recognized tribes within the states of WA, ID, and OR) was characterized to measure children’s potential exposures to a suite of pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), allergens, and lead. Thirty-one childcare centers participated. During a routine site visit to each childcare center, we collected dust and soil samples from at least one classroom, multipurpose room (larger facilities), and outdoor play area (only when bare soil was accessible). Number of rooms sampled depended on the size of the facility. Within each classroom and multipurpose room, dust samples were collected from the floor, play/work surface, and windowsill. Separate dust samples were collected for pesticide/PCB and lead analyses. Only childcare centers older than 1978 had dust and soil samples collected and analyzed for lead (n=11). Additionally, a questionnaire was administered to the center director (or designee) to collect information on pesticide usage patterns, cleaning habits, and child demographics. Our preliminary results show that at least one pesticide was measured at all childcare centers regardless of reported pesticide use; no PCBs were measured; and, lead was measured at all childcare centers where samples were collected and analyzed for lead. Analysis of the quality control samples showed adequate recovery of spiked analytes and no contamination in the laboratory or field blanks. This presentation will report the analyte concentrations in the dust and soil and compare these concentrations to the concentrations reported in the nationally representative childcare center study conducted in the United States in 2001.