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At last week’s NYC Epidemiology Forum, PhD student and research associate Rachel L. Thompson presented her research on chronic exposures to hazardous airborne chemicals among nail salon workers. Below is a summary of her presentation.
In New York City, approximately 50,000 nail salon workers face chronic exposure to hazardous airborne chemicals. Despite recent public health laws aimed at mitigating this exposure, compliance remains low.
Thompson described her ongoing research validating low-cost air quality sensors as tools for workers to monitor and improve indoor air quality, thus reducing their exposure to hazardous substances.
She compared the performance and utility of six commercially available low-cost sensors to validated instruments. Sensors were collocated in at least 3 different salons for 7 consecutive days during an initial baseline measurement period. Salons then received an intervention on methods to reduce exposure by utilizing existing controls and another 7 days of exposure measurements were collected.
Total volatile organic compound (tVOC) concentrations in air samples were averaged over 5 min intervals. Low-cost sensors tested so far indicate moderate to strong correlations with validated devices. However, the accuracy of low-cost sensors varied, especially at higher tVOC concentrations and after repeated days of use.
Thompson concludes that, despite some limitations, these sensors offer a practical solution for workers seeking to proactively monitor and address air quality issues in their workplaces.
