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International Journal of Environmental... Apr 2022Introduction: Vietnamese nail salon technicians are continuously exposed to neurotoxins linked to cognitive impairments and Alzheimer’s disease. This study examined...
Introduction: Vietnamese nail salon technicians are continuously exposed to neurotoxins linked to cognitive impairments and Alzheimer’s disease. This study examined the association of occupational exposure with cognitive function and depressive symptoms among Vietnamese nail salon technicians. Methods: The sample included 155 current or former Vietnamese female nail technicians and 145 control group participants. Measures included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results: Average cognitive functioning was significantly higher for the control compared to the nail technician group (mean difference = 1.2, p < 0.05). No differences were observed for depression. Multivariate findings revealed that exposure was negatively associated with cognitive functioning (β = −0.29, 95% CI: −0.53, −0.05, p < 0.05). Discussion: Nail salon work and the extent of occupational exposure were associated with lower cognitive functioning among Vietnamese nail technicians. Longitudinal research can further examine the risk for cognitive decline and dementia for this vulnerable population.
Topics: Beauty Culture; California; Cognition; Emigrants and Immigrants; Female; Humans; Occupational Exposure; Vietnam
PubMed: 35457501
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19084634 -
Scientific Reports Jan 2023Exposure to trauma, high-stress situations, and disrupted sleep are well known risk factors affecting firefighters' mental health. Little is known about the association...
Exposure to trauma, high-stress situations, and disrupted sleep are well known risk factors affecting firefighters' mental health. Little is known about the association between firefighters' exposure to fire contaminants and mental health disorders. The UK Firefighter Contamination Survey assessed firefighters' health and capacity for occupational exposure to contaminants. Participants were invited to anonymously complete its 64 questions online. Logistic regression analyses assessed the associations between self-reported mental health disorders and proxies of contaminant exposure. Results found that firefighters who notice soot in their nose/throat for more than a day after attending fires (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.8, 1.4-2.4), and those who remain in their personal protective equipment (PPE) for over 4 h after fires (OR = 1.9, 1.2-3.1), were nearly twice as likely to report mental health disorders. Significantly increased odds ratios for all three outcomes of interest (anxiety, depression and/or any mental health disorders) were also found among firefighters who take PPE home to clean. Sleeping problems were reported by 61% of firefighters. These firefighters were 4.2 times more likely to report any mental health disorder (OR = 4.2, 3.7-4.9), 2.9 times more likely to report anxiety (OR = 2.9, 2.4-3.5) and 2.3 times more likely to report depression (OR = 2.3, 1.9-2.8) when compared to firefighters who did not report sleep issues. Effective decontamination measures within UK Fire and Rescue Services, together with firefighters' wellness, may play a crucial role in protecting firefighters' mental health.
Topics: Humans; Firefighters; Mental Health; Occupational Exposure; Personal Protective Equipment; Fires; United Kingdom
PubMed: 36627314
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24834-x -
Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology... Jun 2023The Lower Olefins and Aromatics (LOA) REACH Consortium, which includes toluene registrants in the EU, established a Working Group (WG) to conduct a review of the... (Review)
Review
The Lower Olefins and Aromatics (LOA) REACH Consortium, which includes toluene registrants in the EU, established a Working Group (WG) to conduct a review of the occupational exposure limit (OEL) for toluene. The review focussed on CNS and neuro-behavioural toxicity, ototoxicity, effects on colour vision, reproductive and developmental effects, as safety signals for these effects were identified. The WG also examined the need for a skin notation and/or a short-term exposure limit (STEL). The WG critically reviewed and discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the available published information describing the effects of toluene in animals and humans, to assess its adequacy as a potential point of departure for the establishment of an OEL for toluene and to derive an OEL. As a result, the WG recommendation for a toluene OEL is 20 ppm 8-h TWA, with a 15-min STEL of 100 ppm and a skin notation.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Toluene; Occupational Exposure; Threshold Limit Values
PubMed: 37169161
DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2023.105387 -
International Journal of Environmental... Apr 2021This study aimed to identify sensitive and noninvasive biomarkers of early cyto-genotoxic, oxidative and inflammatory effects for exposure to volatile organic compounds...
This study aimed to identify sensitive and noninvasive biomarkers of early cyto-genotoxic, oxidative and inflammatory effects for exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in shipyard painters. On 17 (11 spray and 6 roller) painters (previously characterized for VOCs exposure to toluene, xylenes, ethylbenzene, ethyl acetate) and on 18 controls, we performed buccal micronucleus cytome (BMCyt) assay; Fpg-comet assay on lymphocytes; detection of urinary 8-oxoGua (8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine), 8-oxodGuo (8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine) and 8-oxoGuo (8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine), and cytokines release on serum. We found induction of cyto-genotoxicity by BMCyt assay and inflammatory effects (IL-6 and TNFα) in roller painters exposed to lower VOC concentrations than spray painters. In contrast, in both worker groups, we found direct and oxidative DNA damage by comet assay (with slightly higher oxidative DNA damage in roller) and significant increase of 8-oxoGuo and decrease of 8-oxodGuo and 8-oxoGua in respect to controls. The cyto-genotoxicity observed only on buccal cells of roller painters could be related to the task's specificity and the different used protective equipment. Although limited by the small number of subjects, the study shows the usefulness of all the used biomarkers in the risk assessment of painters workers exposed to complex mixtures.
Topics: Biomarkers; Comet Assay; DNA Damage; Humans; Mouth Mucosa; Occupational Exposure; Oxidative Stress
PubMed: 33925554
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094645 -
Thorax Oct 2020
Topics: Humans; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure
PubMed: 32900837
DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215567 -
Report on Carcinogens : Carcinogen... 2011
Topics: Anesthetics, Inhalation; Animals; Carcinogens; Humans; Neoplasms; Occupational Exposure; Trichloroethylene
PubMed: 21863114
DOI: No ID Found -
Frontiers in Public Health 2022
Editorial: Environmental or occupational exposure to optical radiation: Risk evaluation, health effects and prevention - tangible innovation for public and occupational health?
Topics: Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Risk Factors
PubMed: 35923973
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.969245 -
International Journal of Environmental... Feb 2022Sex-related biological differences might lead to different effects in women and men when they are exposed to risk factors. A scoping review was carried out to understand... (Review)
Review
Sex-related biological differences might lead to different effects in women and men when they are exposed to risk factors. A scoping review was carried out to understand if sex could be a discriminant in health outcomes due to benzene. Studies on both animals and humans were collected. In vivo surveys, focusing on genotoxicity, hematotoxicity and effects on metabolism suggested a higher involvement of male animals (mice or rats) in adverse health effects. Conversely, the studies on humans, focused on the alteration of blood parameters, myeloid leukemia incidence and biomarker rates, highlighted that, overall, women had significantly higher risk for blood system effects and a metabolization of benzene 23-26% higher than men, considering a similar exposure situation. This opposite trend highlights that the extrapolation of in vivo findings to human risk assessment should be taken with caution. However, it is clear that sex is a physiological parameter to consider in benzene exposure and its health effects. The topic of sex difference linked to benzene in human exposure needs further research, with more numerous samples, to obtain a higher strength of data and more indicative findings. Sex factor, and gender, could have significant impacts on occupational exposures and their health effects, even if there are still uncertainties and gaps that need to be filled.
Topics: Benzene; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Occupational Exposure; Risk Assessment; Sex Characteristics; Sex Factors
PubMed: 35206525
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042339 -
International Journal of Environmental... May 2023Nanomaterials offer new technical and commercial opportunities. However, they may also pose risks to consumers and the environment and raise concerns about occupational... (Review)
Review
Nanomaterials offer new technical and commercial opportunities. However, they may also pose risks to consumers and the environment and raise concerns about occupational health and safety. An overview of the standardization in the area of nanomaterials is presented. Focus is given to the standard ISO/TS 12901-2:2014, which describes the use of a control banding approach for controlling the risks associated with occupational exposures to nano-objects and their aggregates and agglomerates greater than 100 nm. The article also presents a case study on a textile finishing company that implements two chemical finishes containing nanomaterials. A risk analysis was conducted to assess the hazards associated with workers handling nanomaterials. Control banding was applied, and measures such as appropriate ventilation and use of protective equipment are proposed to mitigate risks. In some cases, additional measures, such as a closed booth and smoke extractor, are required. The safety data sheets are a primary source of information on how to handle and care for products containing nanomaterials, but the information provided is still limited in terms of the specific hazards and risks posed by nanomaterials.
Topics: Humans; Nanostructures; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Risk Assessment; Workplace
PubMed: 37297615
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20116011 -
Annals of Work Exposures and Health Nov 2018Retrospective occupational exposure assessment has been challenging in case-control studies in the general population. We aimed to review (i) trends of different... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Retrospective occupational exposure assessment has been challenging in case-control studies in the general population. We aimed to review (i) trends of different assessment methods used in the last 40 years and (ii) evidence of reliability for various assessment methods.
METHODS
Two separate literature reviews were conducted. We first reviewed all general population cancer case-control studies published from 1975 to 2016 to summarize the exposure assessment approach used. For the second review, we systematically reviewed evidence of reliability for all methods observed in the first review.
RESULTS
Among the 299 studies included in the first review, the most frequently used assessment methods were self-report/assessment (n = 143 studies), case-by-case expert assessment (n = 139), and job-exposure matrices (JEMs; n = 82). Usage trends for these methods remained relatively stable throughout the last four decades. Other approaches, such as the application of algorithms linking questionnaire responses to expert-assigned exposure estimates and modelling of exposure with historical measurement data, appeared in 21 studies that were published after 2000. The second review retrieved 34 comparison studies examining methodological reliability. Overall, we observed slightly higher median kappa agreement between exposure estimates from different expert assessors (~0.6) than between expert estimates and exposure estimates from self-reports (~0.5) or JEMs (~0.4). However, reported reliability measures were highly variable for different methods and agents. Limited evidence also indicates newer methods, such as assessment using algorithms and measurement-calibrated quantitative JEMs, may be as reliable as traditional methods.
CONCLUSION
The majority of current research assesses exposures in the population with similar methods as studies did decades ago. Though there is evidence for the development of newer approaches, more concerted effort is needed to better adopt exposure assessment methods with more transparency, reliability, and efficiency.
Topics: Algorithms; Case-Control Studies; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Reproducibility of Results; Retrospective Studies; Self Report
PubMed: 30239580
DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxy080