Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
A Speaker Series: Toxicology and Societies - The Impacts of Chemicals in Our Lives
Brought to you by:
WWU Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
WWU Alumni Association
In response to community concerns regarding industrial air pollution, Beyond Toxics and Oregon State University (OSU) initiated a community-engaged research study characterizing residential exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in West Eugene, OR. This neighborhood is next to a wood preservative facility known to emit PAHs via use of creosote.
Environmental passive samplers were deployed by Beyond Toxics and OSU staff in three rings around the facility at 17 locations: an inner (¼ mile, n=4), middle (½ mile, n=5) and outer ring (1 mile, n=8) for seven days. Thirteen residents in the area wore and returned personal passive wristband samplers. Samplers were analyzed by the Chemical Exposure Core of the Pacific Northwest Center for Translational Environmental Health Research for 63 PAHs.
There were 40 PAHs detected across the environmental samplers. The three most abundant PAHs by average concentration were naphthalene (72ng/m3), acenaphthene (68ng/m3), and 2-methylnaphthalene (52ng/m3). Concentrations of these chemicals were highest in the inner ring, decreasing over distance (p≤0.05, Kruskal-Wallis). Across 13 wristbands, 22 PAHs were characterized, and eight chemicals were found in all samplers (1-methylnaphthalene, 2-methylanthracene, 2-methylnaphthalene, 2-methylphenanthrene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene, retene), while one (naphthalene) was found in 12 of 13 wristbands. Concentrations of naphthalene, 1-methylnaphthalene, and 2-methylnaphthalene were significantly higher in the inner ring (p≤0.05, Kruskal-Wallis).
In both the environmental and wristband samplers, PAHs associated with creosote were significantly higher in the inner ring. Levels in the environmental samplers were comparable to those in densely populated industrialized cities, albeit lower than levels of concern to health.
A Speaker Series: Toxicology and Societies - The Impacts of Chemicals in Our Lives
Brought to you by:
WWU Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
WWU Alumni Association
In response to community concerns regarding industrial air pollution, Beyond Toxics and Oregon State University (OSU) initiated a community-engaged research study characterizing residential exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in West Eugene, OR. This neighborhood is next to a wood preservative facility known to emit PAHs via use of creosote.
Environmental passive samplers were deployed by Beyond Toxics and OSU staff in three rings around the facility at 17 locations: an inner (¼ mile, n=4), middle (½ mile, n=5) and outer ring (1 mile, n=8) for seven days. Thirteen residents in the area wore and returned personal passive wristband samplers. Samplers were analyzed by the Chemical Exposure Core of the Pacific Northwest Center for Translational Environmental Health Research for 63 PAHs.
There were 40 PAHs detected across the environmental samplers. The three most abundant PAHs by average concentration were naphthalene (72ng/m3), acenaphthene (68ng/m3), and 2-methylnaphthalene (52ng/m3). Concentrations of these chemicals were highest in the inner ring, decreasing over distance (p≤0.05, Kruskal-Wallis). Across 13 wristbands, 22 PAHs were characterized, and eight chemicals were found in all samplers (1-methylnaphthalene, 2-methylanthracene, 2-methylnaphthalene, 2-methylphenanthrene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene, retene), while one (naphthalene) was found in 12 of 13 wristbands. Concentrations of naphthalene, 1-methylnaphthalene, and 2-methylnaphthalene were significantly higher in the inner ring (p≤0.05, Kruskal-Wallis).
In both the environmental and wristband samplers, PAHs associated with creosote were significantly higher in the inner ring. Levels in the environmental samplers were comparable to those in densely populated industrialized cities, albeit lower than levels of concern to health.
