Dissertations and Theses
Date of Degree
6-2-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Environmental, Occupational, and Geospatial Health Sciences
Advisor(s)
Brian Pavilonis
Committee Members
Jean Grassman
Sherry Baron
Subject Categories
Environmental Health | Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene | Public Health
Keywords
immigrant worker health, indoor air quality, mixture risk assessment, nail salon technicians, occupational exposure assessment, vulnerable workers
Abstract
Background: Nail salon workers are routinely exposed to complex mixtures of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from nail care products such as polishes, removers, artificial nail liquids, and disinfectants. Although these exposures have been associated with respiratory, neurological, and reproductive health effects, quantitative characterization of inhalation exposures and associated health risks remains limited, especially for New York City (NYC) salons. Existing studies rely on heterogeneous exposure assessment methods and risk assessment frameworks and approaches, making it difficult to compare findings across studies and to fully understand the potential health risks faced by nail salon workers. This dissertation aimed to comprehensively characterize VOC inhalation exposures and associated non-cancer and cancer risks among nail salon workers in NYC.
Methods: This work employed a three-aim approach. First, a scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines to identify and synthesize studies that performed quantitative inhalation risk assessments of VOC exposures in nail salons worldwide (Chapter 2). Second, a hybrid-method exposure assessment was conducted in five NYC nail salons by integrating real-time total volatile organic compound (TVOC) monitoring using photoionization detectors with chemical-specific sampling of 15 VOCs using thermal desorption tubes (Chapter 3). Finally, deterministic and probabilistic human health risk assessments were performed using newly generated NYC exposure data to estimate non-cancer and cancer risks associated with VOC mixtures under multiple exposure scenarios (Chapter 4).
Results: The scoping review identified 12 publications representing nine unique study populations that evaluated VOC-related health risks in nail salons, with most studies relying on deterministic methods and time-weighted average exposure metrics. The hybrid-method exposure assessment revealed substantial variability in VOC concentrations across evaluated NYC salons, with median daily TVOC concentrations ranging from 1.6 to 57.1 ppm and peak concentrations reaching 208.4 ppm. Although measured concentrations for individual VOCs were generally below available occupational exposure limits (OELs), ventilation conditions of salons and service volume influenced exposure variability. Using this exposure data, deterministic and probabilistic non-cancer risk assessments generally indicated low likelihood of adverse health effects under median exposure conditions; however, upper-bound exposure scenarios produced elevated non-cancer risk estimates and moderate probabilities of benchmark exceedance in the salon with the highest measured VOC concentrations. Estimated excess lifetime cancer risks from benzene inhalation were often within or near commonly accepted regulatory risk thresholds, though increased above these benchmarks under higher exposure scenarios.
Conclusions: This dissertation demonstrates that integrating real-time monitoring with chemical-specific sampling provides a more comprehensive characterization of VOC exposures in nail salon environments. Although typical exposures may fall below existing OELs, variability in workplace conditions and peak exposures can contribute to elevated risk under certain scenarios. These findings highlight the importance of considering exposure variability, mixture effects, and uncertainty when evaluating health risks in nail salons and support the need for more protective exposure limits and improved occupational health protections for this workforce.
Recommended Citation
Ierardi, Anthony Michael, "Investigating Inhalation Risks of Volatile Organic Compounds Among New York City Nail Salon Workers" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/sph_etds/127
