Stats:

Occupants: Single adult male 63y/o
​
Duration of Time in House: 13 months.
​
Minimum Contamination level: <0.02μg/100cm² 
Maximum Contamination level: 3.5μg/100cm² 
Average Contamination level: 1.2μg/100cm² 

​Likely Source of Contamination was potential Manufacture and potential Use.

This case study involved the rental of a house through the public housing authority in a large township by a single older male for approximately 13 months. The first public housing home he rented was found to be located next to a methamphetamine laboratory, which was subsequently seized by police. While living at that property he had a number of issues with vapours and gases from the neighbouring property. After the police seized the laboratory, he was moved to a second rental property in the same town. He noticed an odour in the property and was unwell within days of moving in. Given his experience at the previous property he requested that the property be tested for methamphetamine contamination. Testing was undertaken in the home and it was found to be contaminated in a number of areas, including the bedroom and kitchen. He spent most of the day in the home and reported a number of health issues (including headaches that have required visits to the hospital). He noticed that the health issues resolved whenever he was away from the home for any period of time. He continues to reside in the property at the time of this study, as alternate accommodation is difficult to find. 

Health Effects

18 of the 63 participants of this study reported health effects as indicated by levels of contamination reported in the blue section of the below chart. This means that the persons residing in this contaminated property may have suffered: Behavioural Issues, Heachaches, Sleep Disruption, Immune related disorder, Respiratory Issues, Eye issues and Skin irritation.  

Of note is that the occupant noticed an odour in the property and was unwell within days of moving in. He reported a number of health issues, including headaches that have required visits to the hospital. The health issues resolved whenever he was away from the home for any period of time

The study states; "In terms of health effects reported by participants exposed in contaminated properties, these were consistently reported regardless of the source of the methamphetamine contamination. The only key difference in the health effects reported was a higher prevalence of eye and respiratory issues in properties known or suspected to have been contaminated from manufacture."

Hair Analysis Results:

The below table shows the results by person of the amount of methamphetamines and amphetamines located in hair analysis. These levels are from environmental contamination exposure only and not from direct methamphetamine use (Drug Use) or methamphetamine manufacture.

The study states "The analysis of hair samples collected from participants recently exposed in contaminated properties found methamphetamine above the quantitation limit (5 pg/mg) in 20 of the 36 participants sampled."

"For adults, methamphetamine was detected in hair in case studies where the mean environmental methamphetamine concentration was in the range 7.8 to 49 μg/100 cm2, which predominantly involved properties where clandestine drug manufacture was known or suspected to have occurred."

"The hair analysis data showed higher levels of exposure occurring in younger children, which is consistent with the expectation that younger children will have higher levels of exposures due to more common floor play, poorer washing of hands, and mouthing of hands and objects. In addition, young children have more porous hair than adults, which would make the hair more susceptible to environmental contamination."

"In relation to children, methamphetamine was detected in hair for case studies where the mean environmental methamphetamine concentration was in the range of 2.8 to 30.7 μg/100 cm2. The concentration of methamphetamine detected in the hair of children ranged from 6 to 980 pg/mg. This included properties contaminated as a result of both use and manufacture."

"The detection of methamphetamine, and in some cases amphetamine, in the analysis of hair samples from exposed participants...indicates that for some situations environmental exposure was sufficient to be able to be detected in the hair. This is not the case for all situations, as there were a number of participants for whom analysis of a hair sample could not detect methamphetamine." 

Person	Methamphetamine	Amphetamine
63y/o male	<5	<5

Click this link to read the Research:  Environmental Methamphetamine Exposures and Health Effects in 25 Case Studies.

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