Exposure Matrices Research Articles

Workplace Exposures Vary Across Neighborhoods in the US: Implications on Social Vulnerability and Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities.

Ignoring workplace exposures that occur beyond the local residential context in place-based risk indices like the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) likely misclassifies community exposure by under-counting risks and obscuring true drivers of racial/ethnic health disparities. To investigate this hypothesis, we developed several place-based indicators of occupational exposure and examined their relationships with race/ethnicity, SVI, and health inequities. We used publicly available job exposure matrices and employment estimates from the United States (US) Census to create and map six indicators of occupational hazards for every census tract in the US. We characterized census tracts with high workplace-low SVI scores. We used natural cubic splines to examine tract level associations between the percentage of racial/ethnic minorities (individuals who are not non-Hispanic White) and the occupational indicators. Lastly, we stratified each census tract into high/low occupational noise, chemical pollutant, and disease/infection exposure to examine racial/ethnic health disparities to diabetes, asthma, and high blood pressure, respectively, as a consequence of occupational exposure inequities. Our results show that racial/ethnic minority communities, particularly those that are also low-income, experience a disproportionate burden of workplace exposures that may be contributing to racial/ethnic health disparities. When composite risk measures, such as SVI, are calculated using only information from the local residential neighborhood, they may systematically under-count occupational risks experienced by the most vulnerable communities. There is a need to consider the role of occupational justice on nationwide, racial/ethnic health disparities.

Validity of an expert-based job exposure matrix of hand-wrist physical exposures and their prospective associations with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Epidemiological studies of occupational risk factors for rare disorders require large study populations with adequate exposure estimates. Job exposure matrices (JEMs) linked to national information on standardized job titles may enable such large studies. We aimed to establish and validate a JEM for occupational hand-wrist exposures that could be linked to Danish national register data on job titles and hand-wrist disorders. We developed a JEM for hand-wrist repetition, force, vibration, and computer work in 96 job groups covering 91% of the 2227 occupational titles in the Danish version of the International Standard Classification of Occupation-88, and examined inter-rater reliability of five expert ratings. Poisson regression models were used to estimate incidence rate ratios for the association of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) with the level of repetitive movements, force, vibration, and hours of computer work described by the JEM, adjusted for relevant confounders. The JEM based on expert ratings had fair to good interrater reliability. The incidence of CTS increased with increasing levels of force, hand-wrist repetition, and vibration, Exposure-response patterns for repetition and vibration became less consistent after adjustment for force. The interaction between repetition and force was complex and did not support an overall positive interaction. Computer work was negatively associated with incident CTS. The JEM was able to identify known risk factors for CTS consistent with current evidence, and provided further associations on exposure-response patterns, mutual exposure adjustment, and interaction effects between repetition and force. The reliability of expert assessments of hand-wrist physical exposures was fair to good.

Birth defects among offspring of California firefighters, 2007–2019

PurposeLimited research examines birth defects from maternal or paternal firefighting exposure. This study aims to assess if maternal or paternal occupational exposure to firefighting during periconception is associated with offspring birth defects. MethodsData from California birth certificates (2007–2019) were linked to maternal / offspring hospitalization records. Occupation during the periconceptional period was categorized from vital statistics as the following: paternal non-firefighting (n = 4,135,849), paternal firefighting (n = 22,732), maternal non-firefighting (n = 3,332,255) and maternal firefighting (n = 502). Birth defects were identified using ICD codes, grouped by anatomical regions. Adjusted odds ratios were estimated, and sensitivity analyses explored police officer reference groups and detailed birth defect categories. ResultsOffspring of paternal firefighters had lower odds of circulatory defects (aOR = 0.9, 95% CI 0.8, 1.0), oral clefts (aOR = 0.6, 95% CI 0.4, 0.8) and respiratory defects (0.7, 95% CI 0.6, 0.9) compared to paternal non-firefighters. Associations between maternal firefighting and offspring birth defects were imprecise. Substituting police officers as the reference group attenuated findings. ConclusionsOffspring of paternal firefighters may have similar or slightly lower birth defect odds compared to offspring of non-firefighters. Limited data was available for assessing maternal firefighting outcomes. Future studies should prioritize studies using occupational exposure matrices to limit misclassification of exposure.

Risk of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other interstitial lung diseases following organic dust exposure

BackgroundOrganic dust is associated with hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and associations with other types of interstitial lung disease (ILD) have been suggested. We examined the association between occupational organic dust exposure and...

Development of occupation-based exposure matrix of lead for Korean workers: challenges and opportunities.

Industry- and occupation-based carcinogen exposure matrices play a pivotal role in preventing occupational cancer. While the Korean CARcinogen EXposure (K-CAREX) has been developed in recent years to assess exposure prevalence and intensity by industry, the feasibility of constructing an occupation-based exposure matrix remains unexplored. Hence, the objective of this study is to explore the potential of combining the nationwide work environment measurement database (WEMD) and the special health examination database (SHED) to develop a comprehensive occupation-based exposure matrix. The WEMD provides information on airborne lead measurements, including industry codes, but it does not include data related to occupations. In contrast, the SHED contains information on both occupation and blood lead levels. By integrating these 2 databases, we attempted to assess airborne lead exposure levels by occupation. Additionally, we performed a rank correlation analysis to compare the airborne exposure levels with corresponding blood lead levels according to occupation. A total of 35 425 workers who both wore air samplers for lead and underwent special health examinations for lead were extracted between 2019 and 2021. An occupation-based exposure matrix was developed to evaluate the intensity of lead exposure across a range of occupations, encompassing 51 minor occupations and 70-unit occupations. Rank correlation analyses showed strong positive correlations between airborne lead and blood lead measurements according to occupation. Our study findings suggest that combining 2 nationwide surveillance databases can be an effective approach for creating an occupation-based exposure matrix. However, our results also highlight several limitations that need to be addressed in future studies to improve the accuracy and reliability of such matrices.

Widespread contamination of soils and vegetation with current use pesticide residues along altitudinal gradients in a European Alpine valley

Pesticides are transferred outside of cropland and can affect animals and plants. Here we investigated the distribution of 97 current use pesticides in soil and vegetation as central exposure matrices of insects. Sampling was conducted on 53 sites along eleven altitudinal transects in the Vinschgau valley (South Tyrol, Italy), in Europe’s largest apple growing area. A total of 27 pesticides (10 insecticides, 11 fungicides and 6 herbicides) were detected, originating mostly from apple orchards. Residue numbers and concentrations decreased with altitude and distance to orchards, but were even detected at the highest sites. Predictive, detection-based mapping indicates that pesticide mixtures can occur anywhere from the valley floor to mountain peaks. This study demonstrates widespread pesticide contamination of Alpine environments, creating contaminated landscapes. As residue mixtures have been detected in remote alpine ecosystems and conservation areas, we call for a reduction of pesticide use to prevent further contamination and loss of biodiversity.

Child exposure to organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides measured in urine, wristbands, and household dust and its implications for child health in South Africa: A panel study.

Children in agricultural areas are exposed to organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid (PYR) insecticides. This explorative study investigated child exposure to OPs and PYRs, comparing temporal and spatial exposure variability within and among urine, wristbands, and dust samples. During spraying season 2018, 38 South African children in two agricultural areas (Grabouw/Hex River Valley) and settings (farm/village) participated in a seven-day study. Child urine and household dust samples were collected on days 1 and 7. Children and their guardians were wearing silicone wristbands for seven days. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) evaluated temporal agreements between repeated urine and dust samples, Spearman rank correlations (Rs) evaluated the correlations among matrices, and linear mixed-effect models investigated spatial exposure predictors. A risk assessment was performed using reverse dosimetry. Eighteen OPs/PYRs were targeted in urine, wristbands, and dust. Levels of chlorpyrifos in dust (ICC = 0.92) and diethylphosphate biomarker in urine (ICC = 0.42) showed strong and moderate temporal agreement between day 1 and day 7, respectively. Weak agreements were observed for all others. There was mostly a weak correlation among the three matrices (Rs = -0.12 to 0.35), except for chlorpyrifos in dust and its biomarker 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol in urine (Rs = 0.44). No differences in exposure levels between living locations were observed. However, 21% of the urine biomarker levels exceeded the health-risk threshold for OP exposure. Observed high short-term variability in exposure levels during spraying season highlights the need for repeated sampling. The weak correlation between the exposure matrices points to different environmental and behavioral exposure pathways. Exceeding risk thresholds for OP should be further investigated.

Use of a job exposure matrix to predict the risk of work disability in individuals with back pain: An inception cohort study.

Low back pain has a high economic burden in Germany due to back pain-related sick leave, disability pensions, and health care utilization. Work-related factors can predict disabling back pain. Job exposure matrices can be used to consider job demands and occupational characteristics in routine data analysis. This longitudinal analysis tested whether rehabilitation utilization due to musculoskeletal disorders is associated with occupation-linked job exposures in employees with back pain. Data from a German cohort study were used, including employees aged 45 to 59 years with self-reported back pain in the last three months. Individuals' job titles were assessed in the baseline survey in 2017 and matched with parameters of aggregated job exposure indices. Administrative data from the German Pension Insurance were used to extract information on rehabilitation utilization. Proportional hazard models tested the associations. We considered data of 6,569 participants (mean age: 52.3 years; 57.7% women). During follow-up, with a maximum of 21 months, 296 individuals (4.5%) utilized medical rehabilitation due to musculoskeletal disorders. Adjusted analyses showed that high physical (HR = 2.87; 95% CI 1.74; 4.75) and overall (HR = 2.34; 95% CI 1.44; 3.80) job exposures were associated with a higher risk of rehabilitation utilization. Individuals with back pain working in occupations with high physical job exposures have a higher risk for rehabilitation utilization. To prevent work disability in individuals with back pain, occupational groups with high physical job exposures should be actively informed about tailored intervention options.

Supporting the working life exposome: Annotating occupational exposure for enhanced literature search.

An individual's likelihood of developing non-communicable diseases is often influenced by the types, intensities and duration of exposures at work. Job exposure matrices provide exposure estimates associated with different occupations. However, due to their time-consuming expert curation process, job exposure matrices currently cover only a subset of possible workplace exposures and may not be regularly updated. Scientific literature articles describing exposure studies provide important supporting evidence for developing and updating job exposure matrices, since they report on exposures in a variety of occupational scenarios. However, the constant growth of scientific literature is increasing the challenges of efficiently identifying relevant articles and important content within them. Natural language processing methods emulate the human process of reading and understanding texts, but in a fraction of the time. Such methods can increase the efficiency of both finding relevant documents and pinpointing specific information within them, which could streamline the process of developing and updating job exposure matrices. Named entity recognition is a fundamental natural language processing method for language understanding, which automatically identifies mentions of domain-specific concepts (named entities) in documents, e.g., exposures, occupations and job tasks. State-of-the-art machine learning models typically use evidence from an annotated corpus, i.e., a set of documents in which named entities are manually marked up (annotated) by experts, to learn how to detect named entities automatically in new documents. We have developed a novel annotated corpus of scientific articles to support machine learning based named entity recognition relevant to occupational substance exposures. Through incremental refinements to the annotation process, we demonstrate that expert annotators can attain high levels of agreement, and that the corpus can be used to train high-performance named entity recognition models. The corpus thus constitutes an important foundation for the wider development of natural language processing tools to support the study of occupational exposures.

Return to work after cancer-the impact of working conditions: A Norwegian Register-based Study.

The purpose of this study is to compare a cohort of cancer survivors with a cohort of cancer-free employees (1) with respect to employment prospects over a 15-year period and (2) with respect to the differential impact of working conditions on employment over this time period. The cancer cohort is retrieved from the Cancer Registry of Norway, while data on the non-cancer cohort are retrieved from register data managed by Statistics Norway. Job exposure matrices were used to remedy the lack of working-conditions information in the register data. We use nearest-neighbor matching to match the non-cancer cohort (the control group) to the cancer-survivor cohort (the treatment group). Cox regression analysis was applied to examine the relationships between working conditions, employment, and cancer. The results are reported separately for mechanical-job exposures and psychosocial exposures, as well as by gender. Cancer survivors are more likely to experience reduced employment as compared to individuals without a history of cancer. Male cancer survivors in physically demanding occupations have an increased risk of reduced employment after being diagnosed with cancer. This does not apply to female cancer survivors. Regarding the impact of psychosocial exposures on employment, we find no differences over time between cancer survivors and the non-cancer population. Male cancer survivors in physically demanding occupations have an increased risk of reduced employment after being diagnosed with cancer, whereas this is not the case for female cancer survivors. Psychosocial exposures do not impact the relative risk of reduced employment over time. We suggest that return to work after cancer should be considered a process rather than only the re-entry step of resuming work. Thus, it is important to provide long-term support for cancer survivors. We recommend providing more attention to working conditions, particularly in occupations that involve a high level of mechanical-job exposures.

Metal levels in waste pickers in Brasilia, Brazil: hair and nail as exposure matrices

ABSTRACT The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare workplace conditions and metal exposures in 431 waste pickers who worked nearby at the Estrutural Dump in Brasilia utilizing hair (n = 310) and nail (n = 355) as matrices of exposure. Waste pickers were grouped according to their workplace (open waste dump: G1 and sorting plants: G2). Hair and nail samples were collected and analyzed using ICP-MS. The work duration in the facilities was significantly different between the groups with averages of 16.46 (8.48) yrs and 9.26 (6.28) yrs for hair donors in G1 and G2, and 15.92 (7.72) yrs and 8.55 (5.77) yrs for toenail donors in G1 and G2, respectively. The arithmetic means (μg/g) of cadmium, copper, lead, and manganese in hair were significantly higher in G2 (0.076 ± 0.133; 19.61 ± 18.16; 2.27 ± .56 and 3.87 ± 5.59, respectively) compared to G1 (0.069 ± 0.235; 15.72 ± 15.18; 1.72 ± 4.04 and 3.65 ± 5.5, respectively). Concentrations of arsenic, barium, cadmium, copper, cobalt, lead, manganese, and molybdenum in nail were significantly higher in G2 (0.57 ± 0.39; 22.74 ± 42.06; 0.1 ± 0.08; 22.7 ± 51.60; 0.48 ± 0.45; 4.69 ± 9.43; 19.07 ± 20.75; 1.80 ± 1.76, respectively) compared to G1 (0.40 ± 0.28; 15.32 ± 22.31; 0.08 ± 0.11; 11.91 ± 16.25; 0.37 ± 0.37; 3.94 ± 15.04; 13.01 ± 19.08; 1.16 ± 1.80, respective. Our findings suggest that the studied population was exposed to toxic metals and indicates the need for chemical exposure prevention policies to monitor chemical risk exposures in waste pickers.

Association between psychosocial working conditions and well-being before retirement: a community-based study

ABSTRACT Psychosocial working conditions have been linked to mental health outcomes, but their association with well-being is poorly studied. We aimed to investigate the association between psychosocial working conditions and well-being before retirement, and to explore the role of gender and leisure activities in the association. From the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, 598 community dwellers aged 60–65 years were included in the cross-sectional study. Lifelong occupational history was obtained through an interview. Job demands and job control in the longest-held occupation were graded with job exposure matrices. Psychosocial working conditions were classified into high strain (high demands, low control), low strain (low demands, high control), passive job (low demands, low control), and active job (high demands, high control). Well-being was assessed with the 10-item version of positive and negative affect schedule, and scored using confirmatory factor analysis. Engagement in leisure activities was categorized as low, moderate, and high. Data were analyzed using linear regression. Both high job control and high job demands were dose-dependently associated with higher well-being. Overall, compared to active jobs, passive jobs were associated with lower well-being (β −0.19, 95% CI −0.35 to −0.02, P = 0.028). Passive (β −0.28, 95% CI −0.51 to −0.04, P = 0.020) and high strain (β −0.31, 95% CI −0.52 to −0.10, P = 0.004) jobs were associated with lower well-being in men, but not in women. The association between passive jobs and well-being was attenuated by high leisure activities, while the association between high strain and well-being was magnified by low leisure activities. In conclusion, negative psychosocial working conditions are associated with poor well-being, especially in men. Leisure activities may modulate the association. Our study highlights that promoting favorable working conditions can be a target to improve well-being among employees and active participation in leisure activities is encouraged to cope with work-related stress for better well-being.

Long-term sickness absence among adults with ADHD: the role of psychosocial working conditions

Abstract Background Symptoms of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not only occur during childhood but often persist into adulthood and affect individuals’ ability to work. Adults with ADHD compared to those without ADHD are at a higher risk of negative labour market outcomes, such as long-term sickness absence (LTSA). Identifying modifiable factors in the workplace such as psychosocial working conditions may be a plausible strategy to lower this risk. This study aimed to investigate the effect modification of job control and job demands on the risk of LTSA among adults with ADHD. Methods The study population consisted of around 3.7 million individuals aged 20-60 years in Sweden in 2009. Of them, 0.3% had a diagnosis of ADHD extracted from the national patient registers. LTSA was defined as having one sick-leave spell of 90 days or more between 2010-2020. Job control and job demands were measured using job exposure matrices. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of LTSA among adults with ADHD compared to those without. Stratified analysis was conducted to test the effect modification by job demand-control status. Results During the follow-up, 812,971 (22%) adults had LTSA. Both men and women with a diagnosis of ADHD were at a higher risk of LTSA (HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.68-1.82 and HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.55-1.68, respectively) compared to those without ADHD, after adjusting for demographics, previous LTSA, and other mental and somatic disorders. The increased risk of LTSA among adults with ADHD was present regardless of the levels of job control, job demands and job demand-control categories (HRs ranged from 1.55 to 2.10). Conclusions Adults with a diagnosis of ADHD have a higher risk of LTSA and job demand-control status does not seem to substantially modify this risk. Future studies identifying factors in the workplace that may potentially help prevent LTSA among adults with ADHD are highly warranted. Key messages • Adults with ADHD have a higher risk of LTSA regardless of the job demand-control status. • There is an urgent need to identify factors that may help improve the work ability of this population.

The role of working conditions in educational differences in ischemic heart disease mortality

Abstract Background The educational gradient in cardiovascular mortality is well established, but still not completely understood. One important mechanism may be working conditions. This study aims to investigate the extent to which job control and heavy physical workload explain educational differences in ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality while also accounting for risk factors established in childhood and adolescence. Methods This register-based cohort study is based on men who completed their mandatory conscription (age 18-20) for the Swedish military in 1969/1970. This includes 37,419 men who also had a registered occupation in 2005. IHD mortality was measured in the cause of death register. Educational differences in IHD mortality, followed between 2006 and 2019, were measured using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Models were first adjusted for socioeconomic, cognitive, health and behavioral factors measured in childhood and during conscription. Models were further adjusted for physical workload and job control in 2005 (measured during mid-50s). These occupational exposures were measured using Job Exposure Matrices (JEM). Percent attenuation in hazard ratios (HR) after adjustment were calculated using the formula ((HR crude-HR adjusted)/(HRcrude-1))*100. Results Crude models showed a clear educational gradient regarding IHD mortality (HR 2.67, 95% confidence interval 2.08-3.42 for the lowest educated compared to the highest educated). Adjusting for earlier risk factors resulted in a 39-50% reduction in HR estimates. Further adjusting for physical workload and job control resulted in around 75% reductions compared to the crude model. Conclusions Physical workload and job control explained around 25% of the increased risk of IHD mortality in those with lower education. Improvement of the physical and psychosocial work environment could lead to a reduction in IHD mortality and smaller educational differences. Key messages • Physical workload and job control played an important role in educational differences in IHD even when accounting for a variety of early life risk factors. • Improving the physical and psychosocial work environment could lead to a lower incidence of IHD deaths and reduced educational inequalities.

Psychosocial work factors and sickness absence among young Danish workers with a disease history

Abstract Background Young workers with a disease history may be more sensitive to adverse work environment, which could lead to increased rates of sickness absence (SA). This study investigates the association between psychosocial work factors and SA among young Danish workers with a history of somatic or mental disorders (N = 39,772). Methods We included young workers (aged 15-30) with a history of hospital-diagnosed somatic or mental disorders before labor market entry (between 2010 and 2018). SA spells of any length (≥1 day) were measured in registers and psychosocial work factors were estimated on the occupational level using job exposure matrices. We separately estimated adjusted rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for women and men using Poisson regressions. Results Among women, employment in occupations with high quantitative demands, low decision authority, high job strain, high emotional demands, or high work-related physical violence was associated with higher rates of SA. Employment in occupations with high vs. low emotional demands showed the strongest association with a RR of 1.56 (95% CI: 1.48-1.65). Among men, employment in occupations with low decision authority showed the strongest association (1.40 [1.32-1.48]). In contrast, employment in occupations with high quantitative demands or high job strain was associated with lower rates of SA. Conclusions In a large nationwide sample of young workers with a history of somatic or mental disorders, we found several psychosocial work factors associated with SA at the job group level. Associations were overall similar to previously published results on all young workers. The results indicate that young workers with a history of somatic or mental disorders may not be more sensitive to adverse working conditions concerning the risk of SA and that preventive interventions, toward reducing SA, may have a similar impact regardless of disease history. Key messages • Several psychosocial working conditions were associated at the job group level with sickness absence in a nationwide sample of young workers with a disease history. • Associations were similar to previous results indicating that young workers with a disease history may not be more sensitive to adverse working conditions compared to the overall workforce.

A human health risk assessment of rare earth elements through daily diet consumption from Bayan Obo Mining Area, China

Rare earth elements (REEs) have been broad application in a range of industries, including the electronics industry, advanced materials, and medicine. However, health risks associated with REEs received increasing attention. 31 residents (16 males and 15 females) from Bayan Obo mining in Inner Mongolia, China, were enrolled in this study. In total, 677 food samples, the major human exposure matrices (drinking water and duplicate diets), and bio-samples (urine and blood) of 31 participants were obtained. The concentrations of REEs were measured to characterize their external and internal exposures, and the potential health risk of exposure to REE through the ingestion route was analyzed. The results revealed that the detection rate in blood samples (100%) is higher than in urine (32.86%), and only a few REEs were detected in water samples (8.06%), the urine concentrations were considerably lower than in blood. Exposure to REEs through drinking water was considered negligible compared to food intake. Lanthanum and cerium were the most concentrated REEs in food samples. Health risks were calculated based on a dose-response model, the total hazard quotients (THQ) values for all food groups were within normal levels, and the Monte Carlo simulation results show that the 5th, the 50th, and the 95th percentile values of HI were found as 1.45 × 10−2, 3.52 × 10−2, and 9.13 × 10−2, respectively, neither exceeds the threshold, indicating low health risks associated with food intake exposure for this area. The sensitivity results suggest that underweight people are at higher risk, cerium, lanthanum, and yttrium concentrations, and food intake contributes more to health risks. The use of probability distribution methods can improve the accuracy of the results. The cumulative health risk through food intake is negligible, and further attention should be paid to the health risk induced by other routes of exposure to REEs by the local residents.

Application of Infrared and Near-Infrared Microspectroscopy to Microplastic Human Exposure Measurements.

Microplastic pollution is a global issue for the environment and human health. The potential for human exposure to microplastic through drinking water, dust, food, and air raises concern, since experimental in vitro and in vivo toxicology studies suggest there is a level of hazard associated with high microplastic concentrations. However, to infer the likelihood of hazards manifesting in the human population, a robust understanding of exposure concentrations is needed. Infrared and near-infrared microspectroscopies have routinely been used to analyze microplastic in different exposure matrices (air, dust, food, and water), with technological advances coupling multivariate and machine learning algorithms to spectral data. This focal point article will highlight the application of infrared and Raman modes of spectroscopy to detect, characterize, and quantify microplastic particles, with a focus on human exposure to microplastic. Methodologies and state-of-the-art approaches will be reported and potential confounding variables and challenges in microplastic analysis discussed. The article provides an up-to-date review of the literature on microplastic exposure measurement using (near) infrared spectroscopies as an analytical tool, highlighting the recent advances in this rapidly advancing field.

Discovery and occurrence of organophosphorothioate esters in food contact plastics and foodstuffs from South China: Dietary intake assessment

A recent study revealed the presence of non-pesticide organothiophosphate esters (OTPEs) — precursors to organophosphate esters (OPEs) contaminants — in river water. Since OPEs have demonstrated adverse reproductive outcomes in humans, this accentuates the urgency to explore the prevalence of non-pesticide OTPEs in other potential human exposure matrices. In this study, a nontarget screening method based on high-resolution mass spectrometry was used to identify OTPEs in food contact plastic (FCP) samples collected from South China. O,O,O-triphenyl phosphorothioate (TPhPt) and O,O,O-tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphorothioate (AO168 = S) were unequivocally identified (Level 1), while O,O-di(di-butylphenyl) O-methyl phosphorothioate (BDBPMPt) was tentatively identified (Level 2b, indicating probable structure based on diagnostic evidence). Among n = 70 FCP samples, AO168 = S emerged with the highest detection frequency and median concentration of 74 % and 111 ng/g, respectively. Significant Pearson correlations were observed in log-transformed peak areas of AO168 = S and TPhPt in FCPs with their respective oxons, respectively. Occurrences of AO168 = S and TPhPt were further investigated in n = 100 foodstuff samples using a market basket method. AO168 = S and TPhPt exhibited detection frequencies of 43 % and 44 % in all food items with mean concentrations of 2.17 ng/g wet weight (ww) (range: <0.53–67.8 ng/g ww) and 0.112 ng/g ww (range: <0.006–2.39 ng/g ww), respectively. The highest mean concentrations for AO168 = S and TPhPt were found in vegetables (4.62 ng/g ww) and oil (3.00 ng/g ww), respectively. The median estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of AO168 = S and TPhPt via diet were calculated as 10.4 and 1.51 ng/kg body weight/day, respectively. For AO168 = S, only meat and vegetables contributed to the median EDI, whereas for TPhPt, oil was identified as the principal contributor to the median EDI. This study for the first time evaluated human exposure to OTPEs via diet, providing new insights to overall human exposure to OPEs.

Trajectories of psychosocial working conditions and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a Swedish register-based cohort study.

While psychosocial working conditions have been associated with morbidity, their associations with mortality, especially cause-specific mortality, have been less studied. Additionally, few studies considered the time-varying aspect of exposures. We aimed to examine trajectories of job demand-control status in relation to all-cause and cause-specific mortality, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD), suicide, and alcohol-related mortality. The study population consisted of around 4.5 million individuals aged 16-60 years in Sweden in 2005. Job control and demands were respectively measured using job exposure matrices (JEM). Trajectories of job control and demands throughout 2005-2009 were identified using group-based trajectory modelling, and job demand-control categories were subsequently classified. Deaths in 2010-2019 were recorded in the national cause of death register. Cox regression models were used. A total of 116 242 individuals died in 2010-2019. For both job control and demands, we identified four trajectories, which were parallel to each other and represented four levels of exposures. Low control and passive jobs were associated with higher all-cause, CVD, and suicide mortality among both men and women. High strain jobs were associated with higher all-cause and CVD mortality among men, while low control, passive jobs, and high strain jobs were associated with higher alcohol-related mortality among women. The trajectories identified may suggest stable levels of job control and demands over time. Poor psychosocial working conditions are related to all-cause and cause-specific mortality, and these patterns vary to some extent between men and women.

Job exposure matrices for occupational respiratory disease: a narrative review.

Job exposure matrices (JEMs) are epidemiological tools used to provide estimations of occupational exposures when it is not feasible to complete detailed individual occupational histories. To identify and summarize the characteristics of published general population JEMs (GPJEM) of inhalable occupational exposures applied in studies of respiratory disease. MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched using pre-defined search terms, with screening performed by two independent reviewers to identify studies reporting the use of a GPJEM. JEM creation papers were subsequently identified and reviewed for each individual GPJEM, noting its characteristics in terms of occupational classification system and exposure estimates. From 728 studies identified in initial searches, 33 GPJEMs of inhalable occupational exposures were identified. Versions of the International Standards Classification of Occupations were the most used occupational classification system. Binary, probability and intensity-based exposure estimates were most frequently reported in GPJEMs. Selection of a GPJEM to apply in epidemiological research should be based on the exposure(s) of interest, time period of occupations under review, geographical region for intended use, occupation classification system used and the exposure estimate outcome.