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DFPM Researchers Examine Ethylene Oxide In Utah’s Air

Ethylene oxide, a chemical used in medical device sterilization and in the creation of other chemicals such as antifreeze, is one of many industrial chemicals known to be harmful to humans. In safe workplaces, ethylene oxide is carefully contained and used in highly automated systems, reducing the risk of workers being exposed to the fumes. These precautions are important, because in addition to being highly flammable, exposure to ethylene oxide is also associated with a range of cancers that include lymphoma and leukemia.

Although use of ethylene oxide is carefully regulated, it is possible that ethylene oxide in ambient air will negatively affect the health of communities located near industries that use the gas. The question of how much ethylene oxide is emitted into the ambient air is the subject of a new funded study between DFPM faculty Rod Handy, MBA, PhD, CIH; Trent Henry, Research Analyst; OEH graduate students Olose Obuhoro (PhD), Tyler Mathis (MS), and Skyler Spooner (MS); and representatives from the Utah Division of Air Quality. In the project, these researchers are working to determine how much ethylene oxide is released into the air by industry, and how far those emissions travel from their point of origin, potentially affecting the health of Utah citizens.

"Exposure to ethylene oxide is of concern in several parts of the US,” says Nancy Daher, PhD, lead for the study and researcher for the Utah Division of Air Quality in addition to acting as an adjunct professor for DFPM’s Division of Occupational and Environmental Health (OEH). “How ethylene oxide is impacting the health of our communities in Utah and how big of a concern it is, we don't quite know yet. This study will allow us to get ahead of any potential risks and take necessary mitigation action."

To determine the extent of the spread of ethylene oxide in Utah communities, the researchers have placed 16 air monitors throughout Salt Lake, Davis, and Tooele counties. These monitors will gather information about the chemical makeup of urban air and measure it for hazardous levels of ethylene oxide. An area locator tool, available on the project website, informs citizens of the general areas where the air monitors are positioned. Monitors draw in the surrounding air for 24 hours at their designated location, after which they are sent to a laboratory where the air is tested with an EPA-approved chemical analysis method. Results of the study will be finalized and published by September 2023.

Like many initiatives focused on public and community health, the study strives to provide scientifically rigorous information that can help guide public policy. Industries that use ethylene oxide are often important contributors to local economies, and provide essential sterilization services for medical devices. Without hard data on the presence of ethylene oxide in the air, however, policymakers and communities may not be aware of the need to increase regulations to keep dangerous levels of ethylene oxide out of Utah’s air. This study will provide that vital information, giving city planners and industry leaders the knowledge they need to continue their work in a way that maintains the safety of both industry workers and their surrounding communities.