When Sydney Shafer saw what happened in East Palestine, Ohio, after the infamous 2023 train accident, she knew she could help residents understand what was in their air, according to the University of Kentucky.
A doctoral student at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Shafer joined forces with environmental health experts to study chemical exposure in East Palestine using an unexpected tool: silicone wristbands.
"Silicone wristbands are very effective as personal sampling devices because they're noninvasive, inexpensive, and have the ability to capture exposure measurements for over 100 [semi-volatile organic compounds]," Shafer explained.
The simple but innovative approach came from partnering with Dr. Erin Haynes from UK and Heather Stapleton from Duke University. Their work builds on Stapleton's research, which shows that these wristbands absorb chemicals from the surrounding environment.
In July 2023, 80 East Palestine residents wore the wristbands for a week. The team looked for several chemical groups, including dioxins, furans, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
The results brought good news: No dioxins or furans showed up in the samples. However, the team found PAHs, which often come from burning materials or heavy truck traffic. The scientists think these chemicals likely came from cleanup vehicles and smoke from Canadian wildfires during the study period.
"We found that on average, male participants had two more PAHs detected than did women, and those working with heavy machinery had four more PAHs detected than those who did not," Shafer said.
Making science useful matters deeply to Shafer. Her team sent every participant a personal letter explaining their exposure levels.
"We wanted participants to have a clear understanding of what chemicals, if any, were detected in their environment," Shafer said. "Our goal was to empower them with information to inform them of the many chemicals they are exposed to nearly every day."
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All the time 💯 Looking ahead, Shafer plans to keep finding ways to put her public health training to work by helping communities understand and address environmental concerns.
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