Jet Fuel Exposure and Neurological Health in Military Personnel

Jet propulsion fuel 8 JP8 has been recognized by the Department of Defense DoD as the single largest chemical exposure for its personnel. The primary aim of the project is to conduct an epidemiological field study to examine the relationship between JP-8 fuel exposure and neurological functioning in military personnel. The research objectives include 1 determination of the individual service members level of exposure to JP-8 components while carrying out hisher job tasks, as measured by specified biomarkers of exposure, and 2 examination of whether acute, or cumulative exposure to JP-8 over a work week is significantly associated with hypothesized neurobehavioral and neurophysiologic performance outcomes. The project has two phases Tier I is to conduct onsite exposure assessment techniques to fully characterize JP-8 exposure parameters in the military occupational field setting required for the planned field study Tier II is the conduct of the full-scale neuroepidemiology field study to examine predicted dose-response relationships. The field study is being carried out with military Air Force personnel.