Stats:

Occupants: Two Adults and two children and their nanny. A 41y/o female, 42y/o female, 7y/o female and a 3y/o female.
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Duration of Time in House: 6 years.
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Minimum Contamination level: 0.18μg/100cm² 
Maximum Contamination level: 125μg/100cm² 
Average Contamination level: 14.7μg/100cm² 

​Likely Source of Contamination was Use.

This case study involved a family of 2 adults, 2 children, and their full time nanny, who lived in a family-owned suburban home. The father was found to be using methamphetamine over a number of years. The parents were in the process of separation at the time of this study, with the father having moved out of the home. The mother was concerned about the health of the children living in the property, with a number of behavioural issues observed in the children whenever living at the property. The property was tested and was found to be contaminated. Contamination was also found in the boot of the car, suggesting methamphetamine was used in the family car. The levels of contamination reported in the initial testing were found to be higher than would be expected for use alone, however there is no evidence or indication that manufacture ever occurred. The family moved out of the home, leaving possessions behind. 

Health Effects

22 of the 63 participants of this study reported health effects as indicated by levels of contamination reported in the green 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 health of the children was affected whenever living at the property, with a number of behavioural issues observed in the children. Contamination was also found in the boot of the car, which the family would have been using.  When the family moved out of the home, they left their possessions behind. 

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
41y/o female	<5	<5
​42y/o female	30	<5
​​7y/o female	13	​<5
​3y/o female	40	​<5

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

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