Total cancer risk estimates from measured concentrations of volatile organic compounds in industrialized southeastern Louisiana

Southeastern Louisiana is home to many industrial point sources that emit toxic air pollutants. Residents do not have an accurate quantitative assessment of their related cancer risk due to a lack of data. We measured pollutants aboard a mobile laboratory to estimate excess cancer risk facing area residents and found “unacceptable” levels in all census tracts. Ethylene oxide dominated total cancer risk, with significant contributions from chloroprene and formaldehyde. There is an urgent need for comprehensive measurements of key carcinogenic air pollutants, especially in areas with a history of disproportionate environmental health burdens.