Citation:

George, I. US EPA Ethylene Oxide Measurement and Methods Development Research. 3rd US/Canada Science Information Exchange Workshop on Emerging Pollutants, Sources, and Other Issues of Increased Interest, NA, November 09, 2021.

Impact/Purpose:

Ethylene oxide (EtO) is considered an emerging contaminant by EPA due to its recently updated cancer risk estimate and 2014 NATA results. Comprehensive EtO emission characterization and ambient measurements are needed to understand health risks of EtO exposure and develop mitigation strategies. Low-level measurement methods suitable for source, near-source fugitive, and background categories are needed to meet these critical needs. This presentation gives a high level summary of ORD's EtO research portfolio highlighting current research efforts in research output A-E 4.3. The presentation aims to foster communication and potential research collaboration between U.S. and Canadian environmental agencies.

Description:

Ambient EtO levels have become an increasingly important environmental health concern because of the updated December 2016 Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment, which increased the estimated lifetime cancer unit risk resulting from EtO inhalation by a factor of 60. The updated unit risk assessment corresponds to a 100-in-a-million cancer risk concentration of 11 pptv EtO.  Using this new risk estimate, the 2014 National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA, released in 2018) identified EtO as a major regional cancer risk driver with over 20 EtO-emitting facilities in the US contributing to census tract-level cancer risks of greater than 100-in-1 million. US EPA has identified a critical research need to develop improved measurement methods for source, near source, and ambient measurement regimes. This presentation highlights the various ongoing research efforts that focus on the development and evaluation of improved EtO measurement methods to address a range of EPA measurement needs. 

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