Chemical contaminant exposures assessed using silicone wristbands among fuel station attendants, taxi drivers and commercial motorcycle riders in Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

There are concerns over traffic-related air pollution in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Individuals in the transportation sector are hypothesized to be at greater risk for exposure to volatile organic compounds, given their proximity to vehicle exhaust. Silicone wristbands are a wearable technology that passively sample individuals’ chemical exposures. We conducted a pilot cross sectional study to measure personal exposures to volatile organic compounds among 14 transportation workers who wore a wristband for five days. We analyzed for 75 volatile organic compounds; 33 chemicals (35%) were detected and quantified in at least 50% of the samples and 15 (16%) chemicals were detected and quantified across all the samples. Specific chemicals were associated with participants’ occupation. The findings can guide future large studies to inform policy and practice to reduce exposure to chemicals in the environment in Kampala.

Keywords:

• Chemical contaminant
• commercial motorcycle riders
• exposure assessment
• fuel station attendants
• silicone wristband
• taxi drivers
• Uganda

Acknowledgements

We appreciate the support by Makerere University School of Public Health, and the laboratory team at Oregon State University. We appreciate the fuel station pump attendants, taxi drivers and commercial motorcycle riders who participated in this study. The Research Assistants are acknowledged for their support during data collection.

Authors’ contributions

Diana Rohlman, Assistant Professor (Sr. Research) College of Public Health and Human Sciences. Oregon State University. Contributions: developed and managed the OSU IRB, provided training materials, contributed to manuscript writing.

Peter Hoffman, Assistant Director Food Safety and Environmental Stewardship Program, Oregon State University. Contributions: Project and sample management, editing and dissemination of Certificates of Analysis from Oregon State, contributed figures and content to manuscript.

Kim A. Anderson, Professor, Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University. Contributions: Study design, technology use of wristband, chemical analysis of wristbands, contributed to manuscript writing.

David Musoke, Senior Lecturer, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. Contributions: study concept, design, participant recruitment, data collection, and manuscript writing.

Esther Buregyeya, Associate Professor, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. Contributions: study concept, design, and manuscript writing.

Richard. K. Mugambe, Lecturer, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. Contributions: study concept, design, and manuscript writing.

Rawlance Ndejjo, Research Associate, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. Contributions: study concept, design, participant recruitment, and manuscript writing.

John C. Ssempebwa, Senior Lecturer, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. Contributions: study concept, design, participant recruitment, data collection and manuscript writing.

Edwinah Atusingwize. Research Associate, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. Contribution: study concept, design, participant recruitment, data collection, and manuscript writing.

Solomon Wafula. Research Associate, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. Contributions: data collection, statistical analysis, and manuscript writing.

Disclosure statement

Kim A. Anderson and Diana Rohlman, authors of this research, discloses a financial interest in MyExposome, Inc., which is marketing products related to the research being reported. The terms of this arrangement have been reviewed and approved by Oregon State University in accordance with its policy on research conflicts of interest.

Data availability statement

The dataset used during the study is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This study was Funded by Makerere University School of Public Health under the Small Grants Programme, Grant Number: MakSPH-GRCB/19-20/02/02. Wristbands and laboratory analysis was funded by the Food Safety and Environmental Stewardship Program, Oregon State University.