Abstract
Occupational exposures to wood dust have been associated with an elevated risk of sinonasal cancer (SNC). Wood dust is recognized as a human carcinogen but the specific cancer causative agent remains unknown. One possible explanation is a co-exposure to; wood dust and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs could be generated during incomplete combustion of wood due to heat created by use of power tools. To determine if PAHs are generated from wood during common wood working operations, PAH concentrations in wood dust samples collected in an experimental chamber operated under controlled conditions were analyzed. In addition, personal air samples from workers exposed to wood dust (n = 30) were collected. Wood dust was generated using three different power tools: vibrating sander, belt sander, and saw; and six wood materials: fir, Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF), beech, mahogany, oak and wood melamine. Monitoring of wood workers was carried out by means of personal sampler device during wood working operations. We measured 21 PAH concentrations in wood dust samples by capillary gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Total PAH concentrations in wood dust varied greatly (0.24–7.95 ppm) with the lowest being in MDF dust and the highest in wood melamine dust. Personal PAH exposures were between 37.5–119.8 ng m−3 during wood working operations. Our results suggest that PAH exposures are present during woodworking operations and hence could play a role in the mechanism of cancer induction related to wood dust exposure.
Highlights
Breathing wood dust from processes such as sanding, sawing, and cutting is common in occupational settings affecting an estimated 3.6 million workers across Europe (Kauppinen et al, 2006)
Our results suggest that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposures are present during woodworking operations and could play a role in the mechanism of cancer induction related to wood dust exposure
Wood melamine dust contained the highest concentration of total PAHs compared with all other wood materials (MDF, beech, fir, sipo, and oak)
Summary
Breathing wood dust from processes such as sanding, sawing, and cutting is common in occupational settings affecting an estimated 3.6 million workers across Europe (Kauppinen et al, 2006). Included in this survey were typical woodworking occupations such as construction and bench carpenter, woodworking machine operator, sawer, cabinet maker, and joiner. Exposures to wood dust may cause respiratory health problems such as allergic upper airway disease (asthma), non-allergic pulmonary disease, and lung disorders (Jacobsen et al, 2010). The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified wood dust as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), based on the association of wood dust exposure with elevated SNC risk. Wood dust is recognized as a human carcinogen, its carcinogenic mechanisms and the specific cancer causative agent i.e., wood dust component, wood dust with chemical additives and/or physical properties of wood dust, remain unknown (Nylander and Dement, 1993)
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