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Abstract: From 1941
through 1978, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were released in New Bedford, MA.
Electronic manufacturers and waste sites were sources of PCBs, an environmentally
persistent compound associated with increased risk of some cancers. Although there has
been some remediation, PCBs are still detectable. Using 829 soil and sediment samples, a
mean proxy PCB concentration for each ... read moreNew Bedford census tract was calculated.
Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of five cancer types were calculated for each
census tract using Massachusetts Cancer Registry data. The association between mean
proxy PCB concentrations and SIRs was tested using mixed linear regression models. No
statistically significant association was observed. Although SIRs are a robust measure
of cancer incidence, this method of approximating PCB exposure was likely inaccurate;
census tracts are arbitrary boundaries and do not account for behavioral factors of the
population that influence exposure. Ideally, biometric data should be used to estimate
PCB exposure.
Thesis (M.S.)--Tufts University,
2016.
Submitted to the Dept. of Civil
Engineering.
Advisor: Anne Marie
Desmarais.
Committee: Kenneth Chui, and Carolyn
Talmadge.
Keywords: Environmental engineering,
Epidemiology, and Geographic information science and
geodesy.read less
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