Environmental Public Health Journal 2015 | BCIT Institutional Repository

Environmental Public Health Journal 2015

Accuracy of swimming pool test kits
Background: Pool Chemistry is important to allow those using it to feel comfortable through pool water being physically clean and biologically safe. Operators and health inspectors use test kits to ensure that pool water chemistry is correct and will not cause irritation or problems to both the patrons and the pool recirculation system. This study investigates the accuracy of the three commonly used pool test kits available in the market (Taylor, HACH, and ColorQ). Parameters tested are Free Available Chlorine (FAC), Total Chlorine (TC), and pH. Methods: Using artificial pool water with known concentrations of FAC, TC, and pH, 30 samples were taken for the three different parameter from the three test kits. The indicated concentrations and pH on the test kits were then recorded and used to compare with the known standards. Results were analyzed using the statistical software NCSS. One sample t-tests were performed to indicate whether or not the test kit as accurate in reading different parameters of pool chemistry. Results: Taylor Test Kit: Readings for FAC (2.6ppm) showed 2.4ppm, TC (2.7ppm) showed 2.43ppm, and pH (7.1) showed 7.1. HACH Test Kit: Readings for FAC (2.8ppm) showed 3.5ppm, TC (3.0ppm) showed 3.5ppm, and pH (7.1) showed 6.97. ColorQ Test Kit: Readings for FAC (2.7ppm) showed 3.0ppm, TC (3.0ppm) showed 3.0ppm, and pH (7.0) showed 6.96. Conclusion: All three test kits have accurate readings for pH levels. However, the test kits do not provide accurate readings for FAC and TC which would make it difficult to calculate CC in pool waters. Although the FAC and TC readings are inaccurate, they are able to provide operators and health inspectors with brief information regarding pool water chemistry., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Swimming pools, Chlorine, pH, Taylor, ColorQ, HACH, Pool Test Kit
Comparing carbon dioxide levels within urban transport microenvironments during rush hour and non-rush traffic
Introduction: Commuters spend countless hours within tightly confined spaces with limited ventilation that may be filled with many contaminants. By analyzing if there is a significant difference between levels of carbon dioxide between rush and non-rush hour conditions, it can be determined if some commuters are subjected to poorer levels of air quality during certain times of the day. Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to understand whether there are significant ventilation deficiencies during rush compared to non-rush hour times in urban transport microenvironments. Methods: Analysis of urban transport microenvironments was done using the TSI brand QTrak Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Monitor to gather data on carbon dioxide at 1-minute intervals on the 99 B-line express bus that runs between Broadway and Commercial Skytrain Station and the Broadway and Cambie Street Skytrain Station. Results: A one tailed T-test was done on the NCSS 9 statistical software to compare if rush hour urban microenvironments had significantly higher concentrations of carbon dioxide than when compared to non-rush hour. Statistical analysis determined that since the P-value was well above the alpha level of 0.05 (i.e. P<0.05), it gives reason to accept the null hypothesis, which states that rush hour concentrations were not higher than non-rush hour. Conclusion: Statistical analysis determined that the overall concentrations of carbon dioxide during rush hour were not significantly higher than non-rush hour times. This result may have been attributed to conditions and factors during data collection that could not be controlled by the researcher. Due to the length of the route, exposure times were found to be within time-weighted averages as set out by the American Conference of Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), though it was still not within the recommended limit of 1000 ppm as set out by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning (ASHRAE)., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Carbon dioxide, CO2, TSI Q-Trak, Indoor Air, Indoor Air Quality, Buses, Bus, 99 B-line, Commercial- Broadway, Cambie-Broadway;, Urban Transport Microenvironments, Rush hour, Non-rush hour
Contrasting the effectiveness of chloramines reduction in indoor swimming pools disinfected by ozone versus UV
Objectives: Chloramines are disinfection by-products that are produced between chlorine and contaminants in the pool. Exposures to chloramines at high levels or for extended durations have been found to cause mucous membrane irritations and respiratory distress in humans. To reduce chloramines production, secondary treatment in the form of UV and ozone are used in newer indoor swimming pools. This study aimed to examine whether there is a difference between UV and ozone treatment in their effectiveness in reducing chloramines in indoor pools. Killarney leisure pool and whirlpool, which utilized ozone treatment, as well as Hillcrest leisure pool and whirlpool, which utilized UV treatment, were studied. Methods: Hach Pocket Colorimeter 2 Analysis System which used a DPD method of analysis was used to determine concentrations of free chlorine and total chlorines. Concentrations of chloramines were calculated by subtracting the concentration of free chlorine from total chlorine. Thirty pool water samples for each type of pool system were analyzed on random days in the afternoons of January and February, 2015. A two sample t-test was used to compare the chloramines concentrations of the whirlpools; while a Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the chloramines concentrations of the leisure pools. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the mean chloramines concentration of the UV-treated whirlpool and that of the ozone-treated whirlpool (p = 0.00854). However, there was not a statistically significant difference between the mean chloramines concentration between the UV treated leisure pool and that of the ozone treated leisure pool (p = 0.882048). Conclusions: It was determined that UV was more effective than ozone in reducing chloramines concentrations in indoor public whirlpools. Therefore, in order to choose a treatment that leads to the greatest reduction of health hazard posed to pool patrons, UV is preferred. Whirlpools that intend to adopt secondary treatment may consider UV., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer reviewed, Indoor swimming pool, Chloramines, UV, Ozone
The effect of Foodsafe Level 1 Training on inspection report results
Abstract: Food handlers equipped with food safety knowledge prevent foodborne illnesses. This study examined the relationship between worker Foodsafe level 1 training and critical violations reported on inspection results of non-chain restaurants in the Burnaby Fraser Health region. A total of 25 food service establishments with no critical violations on their routine inspections and 25 that had at least one critical violation participated in the telephone survey. Using the Mann-Whitney U two tailed t-test, it was shown that food service establishments with no critical violations on inspections had no significantly (p = 0.72) different proportions of Foodsafe level 1 trained staff than those with at least one critical violations on inspections. This study suggested that having more food handlers with food safety training does not impact how well restaurants score on inspections., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Foodsafe, Inspection, Critical, Violations
Effectiveness of mechanically tenderized beef labels on influencing practices of cooking beef in British Columbia
Background: Mechanically tenderized beef poses a higher risk for Escherichia coli 0157:H7 infection than intact beef and has been implicated in several outbreaks. As such, all products are mandated to be labeled in Canada. Purpose: This study assessed the effectiveness of mechanically tenderized beef labels on influencing practices of cooking beef in British Columbia. Methods: 74 adults within British Columbia who cooked beef were surveyed electronically using a snowball method. An inferential (Pearson chi-square analysis) and descriptive analysis was performed on the nominal data in PSPP and Microsoft Excel respectively. Results: Only 8% of respondents abided with information on mechanically tenderized beef labels. No statistically significant associations were found between practices of abiding with information on mechanically tenderized beef labels and various socio-demographic factors (e.g. age, gender, education level, and food safety education) (p<0.01). The practice of not using food thermometers was the major contributing factor that lowered the effectiveness of mechanically tenderized beef labels. Conclusion: Mechanically tenderized beef labels were ineffective in influencing behaviours of cooking beef in British Columbia. Therefore, other risk communication strategies are needed to persuade adults in British Columbia to adequately cook mechanically tenderized beef products. Recommendations: Future studies can assess whether the general public is properly cooling mechanically tenderized beef as the label does not address this practice., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Mechanically tenderized beef, Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Label, Risk communication
Investigation on the cold temperature retention capacity of the 1.5 Liter Thermos® double wall vacuum stainless steel thermal container when filled to different volumes and with different types of milk
Introduction: Customers sometimes question the freshness of milk inside thermal containers in coffee shops. Milk that is kept between 4°C to 60°C can support the growth of pathogens, hence it should be kept below 4°C. Thermal containers are often advertised as being able to retain the temperature of their contents for a prolonged period of time. Yet, the extent of their temperature retention capacity is not clearly defined by the manufacturers. This study investigated the effectiveness of the 1.5 Liter Thermos® Double Wall Vacuum Stainless Steel Serving Carafe thermal container in keeping milk at ≤4°C when it was filled to different volumes and with different types of milk over a nine hour period. Methods: Four tests were carried out in this study: The 1.5L Skim Milk, The 1.5L Creamo, The 0.75L Skim Milk and The 0.75L Creamo Test. For each test, the milk was placed into the 1.5L Thermos® Double Wall Vacuum Stainless Steel Serving Carafe with the initial temperature between 3.1°C to 3.4°C. Change in temperature was recorded for nine hours using the Thermocouple data logger. Results: The descriptive data demonstrates that the mean temperatures over the nine-hour period for The 1.5L Skim Milk Test, The 1.5L Creamo Test, The 0.75L Skim Milk Test and The 0.75L Creamo Test were 4.41±0.88°C, 4.51±0.95°C, 5.59±1.52°C and 6.05±1.77°C, respectively. MANOVA results suggested that “volume”, “time”, “type of milk”, “volume and time”, “volume and type of milk”, “time and type of milk”, and “volume, time and type of milk” did have effects on the temperature retention capacity of the thermal container with p-values <0.05. The temperatures of all samples were <4°C at hour zero. All of the samples’ temperatures began to increase once they were inside the thermal container and all of the samples entered the danger zone (>4°C) after four hours. A Chi Square test was conducted to determine whether Creamo or skim milk was safer (≤4°C) from hour one to four. Results showed that 123/240 (51%) skim milk and 110/240 (46%) Creamo samples were safe, but the result was not statistically significant. Conclusion: This study’s results indicate that the tested thermal container had a better cold temperature retention capacity when it was filled up (1.5L) compared to when it was only half filled (0.75L). In addition, when the thermal container was filled with skim milk, it also had a better cold temperature retention capacity compared to Creamo. Finally, this specific thermal container was not successful in maintaining the temperature of milk out of the danger zone (≤4°C) after four hours. These results should be disseminated to Environmental Health Officers whose job it is to keep the public safe from foodborne illnesses. As well, policies should be established pertaining to time permitted to keep milk in thermal containers., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Thermos, Thermal container, Milk, Creamo, Coffee, Temperature
Kimchi
Background: The increasing number of kimchi consumers in Metro Vancouver raises food safety concerns over the kimchi being out in the ambient temperature. Although kimchi is known to have lactic acid pro-ducing bacteria as its normal flora, environmental health officers have no specific reference to the change in pH with respect to time. The purpose of this study was to understand the rate at which kimchi ferments at different temperatures and determine whether kimchi is a hazardous food or not. Methods: Freshly made kimchi at researcher’s residence were divided into two groups; 4 oC and 25 oC. 30 samples for each set with equal amounts were left at these two different conditions. PH and temperature were measured at the time of separation and for three weeks weekly using the Waterproof Palm pH analyzer. Results: There was a steeper decline in the 25 oC set compared to 4 oC. It took some time between 22 hours and 34 hours for 25 oC set to show a drop in pH. On the other hand, 4 oC set did not show a significant decline in pH within the time period of the experiment., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer reviewed, Kimchi, pH, Waterproof Palm pH analyzer, Fermentation, Acidification
Mitigating hand contamination at recycling depots
Background and Purpose: Although the number of recyclers and amount of accepted materials and their contaminants has increased over the decades, the adequate provision of hand washing equipment to mitigate the transfer of infectious agents at recycling depots has not been well studied. Minimal Standard (MS) depots and STAR-Rated (SR) depots are inspected by Encorp Pacific (Canada) auditors, not health inspectors, and claim to provide adequate hand hygiene equipment. This study compared the adequate provision of essential hand washing equipment at MS and SR depots in Metro Vancouver to determine if they met public health standards. Methods: Inspections of presence/absence of essential hand washing equipment (tap with running water, soap in soap dispenser, hand drying equipment and signage) were carried out at 35 depots throughout Metro Vancouver (Vancouver West End to Abbotsford). Depots recorded with all components were assigned a Pass grade; depots with any one missing component or more were assigned a Fail grade. MS/SR and Pass/Fail grade was analyzed using Chi-squared test on NCSS 9 Statistical Software (NCSS). Results: Of the 35 depots surveyed, fails were present in both MS depots and SR depots. Very few depots had signage. Main reasons for Fails included broken hand dryers and lack of soap. All depots with hand wash stations had running water. Pearson’s Chi-square results for observed Pass/Fail and MS/SR depots compared to expected values were unable to reject null hypothesis (P-value 0.911 > 0.05) even when provision of signage was excluded as a criterion (P-value 0.537 > 0.05). Conclusion: There was no association between depot standard rating and provision of essential hand washing equipment. Lack of signage failed 74.3% of depots but excluding signage from the criteria failed 34.3% of depots. Hand washing is important in mitigating risk of infection from hand contamination from household recyclables and those sorted from waste. Inspecting depots and educating operators from a public health viewpoint may increase provision of essential hand washing equipment and increase hand washing compliance in public users., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Hand washing, Hygiene, Wash station, Hand contamination, Infection, Signage, Compliance, Metro Vancouver, Recycling
Pesticide residues in organic apples
Objectives: The popularity of organic diets continues to increase even without sound evidence that these diets are healthier than conventional diets. As its popularity increases, organic foods become more readily available and accessible to the public, and genuinity comes into question as farmers and retailers find ways to profit from this trend. Although organic produce will never be completely free of pesticides, they are expected to have considerably lower amounts. In recent years, pesticide residues in organic apples have been found to be at levels higher than normal background levels, indicating intentional application by farmers. Thiabendazole, diphenylamine, and myclobutanil are some of the more common synthetic pesticides that have been found in organic apples; therefore, the following study tested whether or not the levels of thiabendazole, diphenylamine, and myclobutanil in organic apples were below the acceptable organic standards of 5% of their respective Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs). Methods: A modified QuEChERS method involving juicing and extraction was used to recover pesticides from the organic apples. Two additional samples were spiked with 1 ppm of each pesticide as controls to determine if the method was able to detect the pesticides. One sample was spiked before the juicing step, and the other sample was spiked after the juicing step. Samples were then analyzed using gas chromatography. Results: Thiabendazole, diphenylamine, and myclobutanil were not detected in all 30 organic apple samples. Furthermore, these pesticides were only detected in the one of the spiked samples – the sample which was spiked after it was juiced. Conclusion: Organic apples grown in BC meet the organic standard of containing pesticide residue levels below 5% of the MRL, at least for thiabendazole, diphenylamine, and myclobutanil. However, since pesticides were not detected in the sample which was spiked before juicing, the methodology of this study may require modification. One possible reason for this finding is that pesticides may be concentrated in the pulp that is separated during juicing, therefore suggesting that juicing apples may be a good practice for reducing the consumption of pesticides., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Pesticides, Pesticide residues, Thiabendazole, Diphenylamine, Myclobutanil, Organic apples, Organic
A study on the public perception of waste-to-energy facilities in Metro Vancouver
BACKGROUND: Metro Vancouver is proposing a second waste-to-energy (WTE) facility to be built within the regional district. WTE facilities are used to reduce the volume of waste going to landfill sites. With Metro Vancouver’s desire to become the Greenest City in the World by 2020, WTE facilities are one option to achieve this goal. The proposal is currently in its second phase, and is looking for an ideal location. However, there are debates over whether the use of WTE facilities is an ideal method of municipal waste disposal. The aim of this research project was to measure the public knowledge and opinion of WTE facilities across various demographics. METHODS: A survey regarding knowledge and opinion of WTE facilities was generated and distributed online via social media platforms. Microsoft Excel and NCSS software were used to analyze the data to determine statistical significance. RESULTS: There were a total of 111 respondents. Demographic information was analyzed against the respondent’s knowledge score of WTE facilities. There is no statistically significant difference between educational background, age group, or place of residence and attaining a particular knowledge score of WTE facilities (p=0.51, p=0.31, p=0.22 respectively). The results indicated a limited knowledge of WTE facilities in the general public, with a mean score of 3.6 out of a maximum of 5. 59% of respondents indicated that they felt neutral towards WTE facilities, while 24% believed they were the most desirable method of managing municipal waste, and 21% believed they were least desirable. CONCLUSION: Results suggests that WTE facilities are not well understood, and not enough knowledge has been provided to the public in order for them to formulate a consensus on supporting or rejecting the use of WTE facilities. In such cases, the Environmental Health Officer (EHO) can act as an educator to help the public make an informed decision on the effects of WTE facilities and the consequences of different methods of handling municipal solid waste., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer reviewed, Survey, Waste-to-energy facilities, Public perception, Air quality, Waste management
Testing for presence of radioactivity in food products imported from Japan to Canada
Following the Fukushima Nuclear accident of March 11th of 2011, many people, particularly among the general public are still skeptical about the safety of foods imported from Japan. Furthermore, currently little radiation monitoring of food happens in Canada. The present study aims to test for the presence or absence of gamma radioactivity in various food products imported to Canada from Japan. Thirty commonly imported Japanese and thirty-two additional Canadian food products were purchased from supermarkets and convenience stores in Vancouver, British Columbia. All samples were tested for gamma radiation from cesium-134 and cesium-137 using a portable gamma spectrometer, the EXPLORANIUM GR-135 Plus Identifier. All food samples tested in this experiment were found free of any detectable gamma radioactivity., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Japanese, Food, Fukushima, Canada, Cesium-134, Cesium-137, Gamma radiation
Vancouver community gardeners perceptions on soil health and contamination
Background: Reclaiming and converting brownfields into green spaces, such as community gardens, is a growing trend especially in Vancouver, British Columbia. Although community gardens provide a wide amount of benefits: health, social, and environmental, there are potential risks when growing and eating food from contaminated soil. Gardeners must take the proper precautions to reduce their exposure to such contaminants such as having their soil tested. Methods: The researcher gathered information via an online survey from 23 community gardens in Vancouver, British Columbia. Survey participants were asked questions regarding garden site history, soil contamination and overall gardening knowledge. Results: A total of 101 community gardeners participated in the study. The typical survey respondent was female, 30-49 years old, had less than 10 years of gardening experience with Bachelor degrees. It was found that no association exists between having soil testing and the location of the garden, park vs. non-park (p = 0.89712). Again, there is no association between the location of the community garden and gardeners’ feelings that their soil is safe and contaminant-free (p= 0.39521). Conclusion: Gardening in soil that has previously been contaminated through industrial processes poses a potential health concern. Despite this concern, community gardeners refrained from soil testing and remain confident in the safety of their garden’s soil. The absence of soil testing indicates a gap in the safety standards for community gardens. Therefore, mandatory and annual soil testing should be implemented with Vancouver’s community gardens to ensure the health and safety of gardeners., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2015., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Soil contamination, Soil health, Community gardens, Vancouver, Brownfield, Green space, Healthy communities