Industrial Hygiene Research Articles

Sectoral Analysis of BTEX Exposure Data

Benzen, toluen, etil benzen ve ksilen (BTEX) havadaki önemli toksik uçucu organik bileşiklerdendir. Kapalı çalışma ortamında boyalar, çözücüler, yapıştırıcılar ve temizlik maddeleri gibi çeşitli emisyon kaynaklarına sahiptirler. Ortama salındıklarında hızlı bir şeklide havaya karışırlar ve vücuda solunum yoluyla kolayca girebilirler. Çalışanlarda akut ve kronik sağlık sorunlarına sebep olmaktadır. İş hijyeni laboratuvarlarının ölçüm ve analiz sonuçları işyerlerinde alınacak önlemlere kaynaklık etmesi ve gerekli iyileştirmelere yön vermesi açısından çok önemlidir. Bu çalışmada, iş hijyeni laboratuvarları tarafından İSG-Katip sistemine 21 Ocak 2016 21 Ekim 2020 tarihleri arasında girilmiş kişisel BTEX maruziyet sonuçları sektörel faaliyet alanına, ölçüm yapılan coğrafi bölge ve şehre, tehlike sınıflarına, sınır değeri aşma veya sınır değere yakın olma durumuna göre değerlendirilmiştir. Toplam 162331 verinin 8435’inin havadaki BTEX konsantrasyonuna yönelik sonuçlarla ilgili olduğu tespit edilmiştir. BTEX verileri % 11’i az tehlikeli, % 64,9’u tehlikeli, % 24,1’i çok tehlikeli sınıfta yer alan 63 farklı şehirde bulunan 1089 işyerinden elde edilmiştir. 6361 kişisel maruziyet verisinin %5,3 ‘ünün sınır değere yakın veya sınır değerin üstünde olduğu saptanmıştır. Veriler sektörel olarak tarandığında 242 faaliyet alanında yapılan ölçümler 31 sektör altında toplanmaktadır. En çok ölçüm ve analiz yapılan üç sektör makine ve ekipmanları imalatı, tekstil ürünleri ve giyim eşyaları imalatı ve kauçuk ve plastik ürünlerin imalatı olarak belirlenmiştir. BTEX maruziyetlerinin sektörel olarak değerlendirildiği bu çalışma ile ülkemizdeki mevcut durumun ortaya konulması ve iş sağlığı ve güvenliği alanında çalışanlara bir kaynak oluşturulması amaçlanmıştır.

Evaluation of Environmental Heat Exposure, Heat-related Symptoms, and Acute Physiological Changes among Farmers in Pasir Puteh and Bachok, Kelantan

Prolonged or intense exposure to heat can lead to a range of health effects. This study evaluated environmental heat exposure, heat-related symptoms, and acute physiological changes among 39 farmers in Kelantan, Malaysia. During the end of the monsoon season in February to Mac 2019, wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) was collected in the farm environment to assess heat exposure. Blood pressure, heart rate, and body core temperature were measured pre-, mid and post-shift to measure the physiological response of farmers towards environmental heat. Sociodemographic, occupational information and heat-related symptoms that subjects had experienced were gathered using a questionnaire. The WBGT outdoor showed a high risk for heat stress and strain (> 28.0 oC) based on the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygiene (ACGIH) threshold limit values (TLVs). More than half (50%) of farmers reported heat-related symptoms including fatigue, lethargy, dizziness, rashes, and cramps. Significant physiological changes including heart rate, body temperature, and systolic blood pressure occurred across the work shift (p <0.05). However, no significant association (p>0.05) was found between the Acute Health Symptoms score (AHSS) with associated factors, thus no statistical model was further developed. In conclusion, farmers experienced significant psychological changes across the work shift. Preventive and control measures for heat stress are needed to reduce the risk of heat strain.

A field-portable colorimetric method for the measurement of peracetic acid vapors: a comparison of glass and plastic impingers

A method for measuring peracetic acid vapors in air using impinger sampling and field-portable colorimetric analysis is presented. The capture efficiency of aqueous media in glass and plastic impingers was evaluated when used for peracetic acid vapor sampling. Measurement of peracetic acid was done using an N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine colorimetric method with a field-portable spectrometer. The linearity of the N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine method was determined for peracetic acid both in solution and captured from vapor phase using glass or plastic impingers. The Limits of Detection for the glass and plastic impingers were 0.24 mg/m3 and 0.28 mg/m3, respectively, for a 15 L air sample. The Limits of Quantitation were 0.79 mg/m3 and 0.92 mg/m3 for the glass and plastic impingers, respectively. Both metrics were below the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists Threshold Limit Value Short-Term Exposure Limit of 1.24 mg/m3 (0.4 ppmv) during a 15-min period. The impinger sampling method presented herein allows for an easy-to-use and rapid in-field measurement that can be used for evaluating occupational exposure to peracetic acid.

Implementation of Chemical Health, Safety, and Environmental Risk Assessment in Laboratories: A Case-Series Study.

IntroductionCharacterizing risks associated with laboratory activities in universities may improve health, safety, and environmental management and reduce work-related diseases and accidents. This study aimed to develop and implement a chemical risk assessment method to determine and prioritize more hazardous chemicals in the academic laboratories.MethodsA case-series study was conducted at five academic laboratories and research facilities of an Iranian medical sciences university in 2021. A risk assessment was developed and implemented in three phases to identify, evaluate, and classify potential risks and hazards. The approach provided an innovative tool for evaluating and prioritizing risks in chemical laboratories. Hazards were classified on a five-level scale. The technique reviewed both quantitative and qualitative data and pieces of evidence using Laboratory Safety Guidance (OSHA), Occupational Hazard Datasheet (ILO), the standards of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) codes.ResultsOverall, the frequency of risks rated from “moderate” to “very high” levels was determined for the health hazards (9.3%), environmental hazards (35.2%), and safety hazards (20.4%). Hydrochloric acid had a high consumption rate in laboratory operations and received the highest risk levels in terms of potential hazards to employees' health and the environment. Nitric acid, Sulfuric acid, Formaldehyde, and Sodium hydroxide were assessed as potential health hazards. Moreover, Ethanol and Sulfuric acid were recognized as safety hazards. We observed adequate security provisions and procedures in academic laboratory operations. However, the lack of awareness concerning health, safety, environmental chemical hazards, and inappropriate sewage disposal systems contributed to the increasing levels of laboratory risk.ConclusionsChemicals used in laboratory activities generate workplace and environmental hazards that must be assessed, managed, and risk mitigated. Developing a method of rating health, safety, and environmental risks related to laboratory chemicals may assist in defining and understanding potential hazards. Our assessment suggested the need for improving the risk perception of individuals involved in handling chemicals to prevent exposure from workplace duties and environmental pollution hazards.

Dry Heat as a Potential Decontamination Method on the Filtration Efficiency of Filtering Facepiece Respirators.

Filtering facepiece respirators have been widely used in the fields of occupational health and public hygiene, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, disposable respirators have been in high demand, and the waste generated from these disposable products poses a problem for the environment. Here, we aimed to test a practical decontamination method to allow for the reuse of KN95 respirators. In this study, three types of KN95 respirators were heated at 80 °C and 90 °C for different durations (15 min, 30 min, 45 min, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 10 h, and 24 h). The filtration efficiencies of the tested KN95 respirators before and after heating were measured, and the changes in microstructure were imaged with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In addition, a neural network model based on the nonlinear autoregressive with external input (NARX) to predict the filtration efficiency of the KN95 respirator was established. The results show that the temperature and time of dry heating affected particle prevention. The higher the temperature and the longer the heating time, the more obvious the decline in the filtration efficiency of the respirators. When the heating temperature reached 100 °C, the respirator may be no longer suitable for reuse. These results show that a dry heat temperature between 70 °C and 90 °C, and a heating time between 30 min and 2 h is assumed to be a suitable and effective decontamination method for respirators.

Applying Translational Science Approaches to Protect Workers Exposed to Nanomaterials.

Like nanotechnology, translational science is a relatively new and transdisciplinary field. Translational science in occupational safety and health (OSH) focuses on the process of taking scientific knowledge for the protection of workers from the lab to the field (i.e., the worksite/workplace) and back again. Translational science has been conceptualized as having multiple phases of research along a continuum, beyond scientific discovery (T0), to efficacy (T1), to effectiveness (T2), to dissemination and implementation (D&I) (T3), to outcomes and effectiveness research in populations (T4). The translational research process applied to occupational exposure to nanomaterials might involve similar phases. This builds on basic and efficacy research (T0 and T1) in the areas of toxicology, epidemiology, industrial hygiene, medicine and engineering. In T2, research and evidence syntheses and guidance and recommendations to protect workers may be developed and assessed for effectiveness. In T3, emphasis is needed on D&I research to explore the multilevel barriers and facilitators to nanotechnology risk control information/research adoption, use, and sustainment in workplaces. D&I research for nanomaterial exposures should focus on assessing sources of information and evidence to be disseminated /implemented in complex and dynamic workplaces, how policy-makers and employers use this information in diverse contexts to protect workers, how stakeholders inform these critical processes, and what barriers impede and facilitate multilevel decision-making for the protection of nanotechnology workers. The T4 phase focuses on how effective efforts to prevent occupational exposure to nanomaterials along the research continuum contribute to large-scale impact in terms of worker safety, health and wellbeing (T4). Stakeholder input and engagement is critical to all stages of the translational research process. This paper will provide: (1) an illustration of the translational research continuum for occupational exposure to nanomaterials; and (2) a discussion of opportunities for applying D&I science to increase the effectiveness, uptake, integration, sustainability, and impact of interventions to protect the health and wellbeing of workers in the nanotechnology field.

Transitioning green finance from theory to practice for renewable energy development

Green finance has emerged as a strategy that encompasses not only instruments for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change, but also financial products and services that address a broader range of environmental concerns, including industrial pollution control, waste management, sanitation and hygiene, and ecological protection. The study employs an integrative approach comprising a bibliometric and manual review of sample studies to understand the subject of knowledge in green finance and its transition from theory to practice, indicating the current state of research and its evolution tendencies. The current study analyzes the publications that highlight the various dynamics of green finance by conducting a bibliometric analysis on a sample of 222 relevant papers retrieved from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The study discusses the theoretical underpinnings of the constructs/themes uncovered through the results and identifies current research trends, hotspots, and prospective research opportunities. Finally, we identify key topics in the field of green finance and suggest a four-part conceptual framework (goal, procedure, place, and perspective) based on the results of the thematic map. This framework serves as a guide for future research.

Use of expert elicitation in the field of occupational hygiene: Comparison of expert and observed data distributions.

The concept of professional judgement underpins the way in which an occupational hygienist assesses an exposure problem. Despite the importance placed on professional judgement in the discipline, a method of assessment to characterise accuracy has not been available. In this paper, we assess the professional judgement of four occupational hygienists (‘experts’) when completing exposure assessments on a range of airborne contaminants across a number of job roles within a surface mining environment in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The job roles assessed were project driller, mobile equipment operator, fixed plant maintainer, and drill and blast operator. The contaminants of interest were respirable crystalline silica, respirable dust, and inhalable dust. The novel approach of eliciting exposure estimates focusing on contaminant concentration and attribution of an exposure standard estimate was used. The majority of the elicited values were highly skewed; therefore, a scaled Beta distribution were fitted. These elicited fitted distributions were then compared to measured data distributions, the results of which had been collected as part of an occupational hygiene program assessing full-shift exposures to the same contaminants and job roles assessed by the experts. Our findings suggest that the participating experts within this study tended to overestimate exposures. In addition, the participating experts were more accurate at estimating percentage of an exposure standard than contaminant concentration. We demonstrate that this elicitation approach and the encoding methodology contained within can be applied to assess accuracy of exposure judgements which will impact on worker protection and occupational health outcomes.

Triblock Superabsorbent Polymer Nanocomposites with Enhanced Water Retention Capacities and Rheological Characteristics.

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are useful polymers in a wide range of application fields ranging from the hygiene industry to construction and agriculture. As versatility and high water absorption capacity are their important merits, SAPs usually suffer from low water retention capacity (fast release) and weak mechanical properties. To address these drawbacks, a set of new superabsorbent polymer–Halloysite nanotube (HNT) nanocomposites was synthesized via free radical polymerization of acrylamide, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane-1-sulfonic acid, and acrylic acid in the presence of vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) as the crosslinker. FTIR and TGA characterizations confirm the polymerization of SAP and successful incorporation of HNTs into the SAP polymer matrix. The effect of the HNT nanofiller amount in the nanocomposite polymer matrix was investigated with swelling–release performance tests, crosslink density calculations, and rheology measurements. It was found that equilibrium swelling ratios are correlated and therefore can be tuned via the crosslink densities of nanocomposites, while water retention capacities are governed by storage moduli. A maximum swelling of 537 g/g was observed when 5 wt % HNT was incorporated, in which the crosslink density is the lowest. Among the SAP nanocomposites prepared, the highest storage modulus was observed when 1 wt % of nanofiller was incorporated, which coincides with the nanocomposite with the longest water retention. The water release duration of SAPs was prolonged up to 27 days with 1% HNT addition in parallel with the achieved maximum storage modulus. Finally, three different incorporation mechanisms of the HNT nanofiller into the SAP nanocomposite structure were proposed and confirmed with rheology measurements. This study provides a rapid synthesis method for SAP nanocomposites with enhanced water retention capacities and explains the relationship between swelling and crosslink density and water retention and mechanical properties of SAP nanocomposites.

Women and industrial hygiene in post-revolutionary Mexico: Juan de Beraza’s report on “La Perfeccionada” (October 25, 1919)

In October 1919, during the construction of post-revolutionary health protection institutions in Mexico, Juan de Beraza, an office assistant to the Secretary of Industry, Commerce, and Labor, wrote a document about the conditions of 479 women workers in a factory in the capital. The report had a summary of hygiene and sexual harassment problems that women experienced in their workplaces. The document offers relevant information about the history of women in the "world of work" in the first decades of the twentieth century. A transcript of the report is published, preceded by a presentation of the report.

Wet foam flow: A suitable method for improving surface hygiene in the food industry

In the food industry, the cleaning of contaminated surfaces requires new strategies to be adopted which can provide greater cleaning efficiency with minimal energy and water consumption. The use of wet foams was proposed to clean stainless steel surfaces contaminated by droplets containing Bacillus spores. Methods such as polarography, conductimetry and foam structure identification were used. Foam flow conditions with varying wall shear stresses and bubble sizes were observed to measure their impacts on surface contaminant removal kinetics. Compared to conventional cleaning-in-place method, foam flow more effectively removed both hydrophilic and hydrophobic spores. The combination of high shear stress and small bubble sizes (<0.2 mm) showed promise for improving the cleaning efficiency of the foam. Mechanisms such as fluctuation in local stresses, or in the liquid film thickness between the bubbles and the steel wall induced by bubble passage, foam imbibition and liquid film drainage were then investigated.

Health Problems and Injuries Related to Occupational Hygiene among Fishermen in Ismailia City

Health Problems and Injuries Related to Occupational Hygiene among Fishermen in Ismailia City

Openness in Occupational Hygiene Professional Development

Continuing professional development is a foundational aspect of professionalism in health-related disciplines. For board-certified industrial/occupational hygiene (IH/OH) professionals, professional development is mandated as part of the code of ethics for practice. However, board certification in IH/OH and occupational health and safety is not required for professional practice in many countries, including the United States. This qualitative study involved a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to the lived experiences of IH/OH professionals who engage in professional development in the United States. This study was conducted to better understand the role of openness in IH/OH professional development, including the use of open educational resources (OERs) and open educational practices (OEPs) and the level of learning desired by IH/OH professionals who complete continuing professional development. Participants (n=11) were IH/OH professionals who engage in professional development and live and work in the United States. A 10-question semi-structured interview was conducted via Zoom regarding IH/OH experiences with professional development. A thematic analysis of interview transcript data was performed. The results provide insights about openness in the IH/OH professional community and how OERs and OEPs might be used for professional development. Findings revealed that IH/OH professionals may be reluctant to embrace the concept of openness, due to the potential financial impact on professional organizations, and indicated that the IH/OH community may not be ready for a public open scholar at this time. The aspect or level of learning desired by IH/OH professionals was also heavily linked to the career stage of the individual. There is a need for research to further explore the continuing professional development needs of early career and mid-career IH/OH professionals. This study provides opportunities for further study about openness in professional development for general occupational health and safety professionals, although this population is difficult to define or set parameters for.

Hygienic assessment of priority factors of labor conditions in modern medical organizations

Currently, one of the main tasks of the state and society is to preserve and strengthen the health of the able-bodied population. Employees of medical organizations are exposed to the combined effects of a significant number of harmful occupational factors. In particular, factors of the production environment include biological, chemical and physical, factors of the labor process — tension and severity. Therefore, the study of working conditions of medical personnel is a priority in occupational hygiene. The purpose of the study is to identify the priority production-related and occupational pathology in a medical organization. The object of the study was 1443 maps of special assessment of working conditions, the results of laboratory and instrumental studies of microclimate parameters, lighting (5398 measurements in 60 rooms), air samples for the content of microorganisms (727 samples). According to studies of the conditions and nature of work at the workplaces of medical workers in the studied medical organizations, according to the results of a special assessment of working conditions and their own research, they corresponded to the harmful class 1–3 and for cancer hospital workers of the 4th degree. The level of maximum microbial load in the resident and nursing rooms increased by the middle of the work shift and remained high until the end of the working day. Since the air velocity in the studied rooms was at a very low level, this criterion may be a risk factor for aggravating the course of general somatic pathologies and, as a consequence, the development of production-related morbidity among medical workers. It can also be noted that in 100 % of cases, fungi were detected, with this number decreasing by the end of the working shift, representatives of the genus Staphylococcus, on the contrary, tended to increase from the beginning of the worker to its end. The conditions and nature of the work of medical workers in the studied medical organizations, according to the results of a special assessment of working conditions, corresponded to a harmful class of 1–4 degrees. The 4th degree of the 3rd class of working conditions was due to the work of staff with cytostatic drugs. The microclimatic parameters corresponded to hygienic standards (at low air speeds). In 100 % of cases, fungi and representatives of the genus Staphylococcus were found in all air samples. A detailed study of the species identification of micromycetes in the indoor air showed that the number of micromycetes of the genus Penicillium and Aspergillus significantly exceeded the number of other species.

Satisfaction of industrial health care managers regarding the work of industrial hygiene engineers: a cross-sectional study.

A group health service is a system that delegates workplace health management to an entrusted institution. There have been various studies on group health services to date, but recent changes, such as an increase in foreign workers, are rapidly changing industry characteristics. Satisfaction was assessed using a 27-question survey distributed among 203 workplaces employing health professionals. The survey items consisted of general characteristics, comprehensive satisfaction, requirements for health professionals' work, and satisfaction with work environment management, ergonomic management, and healthcare management. Multiple regression and frequency analyses were performed. The comprehensive satisfaction was 4.08 points on average, out of 5. The comprehensive satisfaction of health professionals in the industry was positively correlated with each factor. Hazardous materials and chemical management (material safety data sheets, MSDSs) were the most common requirements. A low level of satisfaction with work environment management indicates high demand for healthcare management. The working environment should be improved by identifying characteristics of the workplace, examining harmful substances, inspecting equipment, and enhancing worker methods. The shorter the work experience of health professionals, the more dependent they are on group health services. The variables affecting comprehensive satisfaction were the period of work, healthcare management satisfaction, and work environment management satisfaction. Most of the requirements of health professionals in the workplace were practical improvement case presentations, MSDSs, and legal document management.

Exploring structure/property relationships to health and environmental hazards of polymeric polyisocyanate prepolymer substances-1. Design of experiments, aquatic exposure, and acute aquatic toxicity.

Polymeric polyisocyanate prepolymer substances are reactive intermediates used in the manufacture of various polyurethane products. Knowledge of their occupational and environmental hazard properties is essential for product stewardship and industrial hygiene purposes. This work reports on the systematic design of a program to explore how structural features (i.e., types of polymeric polyol and diisocyanate reactants, functionality) and physical-chemical properties (i.e., octanol-water partition coefficient [log Kow], viscosity, molecular weight) of a group of 10 toluene diisocyanate (TDI)- and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI)-based monomer-depleted prepolymer substances can be related to their exposure and hazard potentials. The revelation of trends or thresholds in such relationships could form a basis for regulatory screening of existing or new prepolymer substances, while also informing the design of substances having reduced exposure and/or hazard profiles. As a first step, the aquatic exposure and hazard potentials of these 10 substances were investigated. The results of this investigation showed that yields of dissolved reaction products (derived from non-purgeable organic carbon measurements and carbon contents of the parent prepolymers) were inversely correlated with the calculated log Kow of the substances. For prepolymer loading rates of both 100 and 1000mg/L in water, the average dissolved reaction product yields ranged from ≤1% to 32% and from ≤0.1% to 25%, respectively, over calculated log Kow values ranging from -4.8 to 45. For both loading rates, dissolved reaction products were not quantifiable where the calculated log Kow value was >10. Yet, none of the 10 prepolymers and tested loading rates exhibited acute adverse effects on the aquatic invertebrate, Daphnia magna, in the 48-h acute immobilization test. From a product stewardship perspective, polymeric prepolymers of TDI and MDI within the investigated domain and concentration range are not expected to be hazardous in the aquatic environment.

Noise exposure and its impact on health in an auto parts manufacturing enterprise

Objective: To learn about the noise exposure and health status of workers and analyze factors that may affect the health outcomes of workers in an auto manufacturing enterprise in Tianjin City. Methods: In September 2020, occupational hygiene survey, noise exposure level detection and occupational health examination data collection were carried out in an auto parts manufacturing enterprise. Chi square test and unconditional logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the health effects of noise exposure and hearing loss of 361 noise exposure workers. Results: The rates of over-standard noise exposure, hearing loss and hypertension were 69.39% (34/49) , 33.24% (120/361) and 11.36% (41/361) , respectively. There were upward trends on age and noise-working years for hearing loss and hypertension rates (χ(2)=-5.95, -6.16, -2.81, -2.74, P<0.05) . Unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that age>35 years old, noise exposure length of service >10 years and noise L(EX, 8 h)>85 dB (A) were risk factors for hearing loss (OR=3.57, 95%CI: 1.09, 11.75; OR=4.05, 95%CI: 1.97, 8.25; OR=1.75, 95%CI: 1.00, 3.05; P=0.036, 0.001, 0.047) . Conclusion: This company has a high rate of job noise exceeding the standard, and noise-exposed workers have more serious hearing loss. Age, noise exposure and high noise exposure are risk factors for hearing loss.

The Proportion of Occupationally Related Cholangiocarcinoma: A Tertiary Hospital Study in Northeastern Thailand.

Simple SummaryNortheastern Thailand has the world’s highest incidence rate of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), whereas a consequence, approximately 14,000 patients die annually. In most cases, the causal factors are identified, but, for some, they remain unknown. Legally imported industrial chemicals such as 1,2-dichloropropane (1,2-DCP), dichloromethane (DCM), and asbestos fibers are defined as occupational causes of CCA. An investigation into these vis-à-vis the diagnosis of occupationally related CCA in Thailand has not been conducted, but is important for understanding the potential magnitude of the problem. The current study found that the proportion of occupationally related CCA was approximately 5.5%, as well as a lower proportion of occupational history taken by treating physicians. Improving physician skills and developing an assistive tool for exploring occupational history might improve the documentation of work-related conditions.Northeastern Thailand registers the highest worldwide incidence of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Most of the cases are associated with liver flukes, while unknown causes comprise approximately 10–30% of cases, and these could be due to occupational exposures. Our aim was to determine the magnitude of occupational causes of CCA in a tertiary hospital in northeastern Thailand. We conducted a cross-sectional study with a sample of 220 patients between March and November 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the findings. Clinical information and telephone interviews were used to explore significant occupational histories. An occupational consensus meeting was held with two occupational physicians, an industrial hygienist, and a hepatobiliary surgeon to decide on the final diagnosis. The response rate was 90.9% (200/220). Based on the medical records and telephone interviews, researchers found that 11 participants had significant exposure. After occupational consensus, it was agreed that the eleven had possible occupational causes, 5.5% (11/200)–54.5% (6/11) being due to asbestos fibers, 45.5% (5/11) due to dichloromethane, and 9.1% (1/11) due to 1,2-dichloropropane. Only 4% (8/200) had occupational histories collected by their treating physicians. Taken together, occupationally related CCA appears to have been underestimated, so improving occupational history taking is needed to properly identify and classify work-related CCA—both for patient treatment and occupational hazard prevention.

An Evaluation of the Occupational Health Hazards of Peptide Couplers.

Peptide couplers (also known as amide bond-forming reagents or coupling reagents) are broadly used in organic chemical syntheses, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. Yet, occupational health hazards associated with this chemical class are largely unexplored, which is disconcerting given the intrinsic reactivity of these compounds. Several case studies involving occupational exposures reported adverse respiratory and dermal health effects, providing initial evidence of chemical sensitization. To address the paucity of toxicological data, a pharmaceutical cross-industry task force was formed to evaluate and assess the potential of these compounds to cause eye and dermal irritation as well as corrosivity and dermal sensitization. The goal of our work was to inform health and safety professionals as well as pharmaceutical and organic chemists of the occupational health hazards associated with this chemical class. To that end, 25 of the most commonly used peptide couplers and five hydrolysis products were selected for in vivo, in vitro, and in silico testing. Our findings confirmed that dermal sensitization is a concern for this chemical class with 21/25 peptide couplers testing positive for dermal sensitization and 15 of these being strong/extreme sensitizers. We also found that dermal corrosion and irritation (8/25) as well as eye irritation (9/25) were health hazards associated with peptide couplers and their hydrolysis products (4/5 were dermal irritants or corrosive and 4/5 were eye irritants). Resulting outcomes were synthesized to inform decision making in peptide coupler selection and enable data-driven hazard communication to workers. The latter includes harmonized hazard classifications, appropriate handling recommendations, and accurate safety data sheets, which support the industrial hygiene hierarchy of control strategies and risk assessment. Our study demonstrates the merits of an integrated, in vivo -in silico analysis, applied here to the skin sensitization endpoint using the Computer-Aided Discovery and REdesign (CADRE) and Derek Nexus programs. We show that experimental data can improve predictive models by filling existing data gaps while, concurrently, providing computational insights into key initiating events and elucidating the chemical structural features contributing to adverse health effects. This interactive, interdisciplinary approach is consistent with Green Chemistry principles that seek to improve the selection and design of less hazardous reagents in industrial processes and applications.

Occupational Exposure to Metal Fumes Among Iranian Welders: Systematic Review and Simulation-Based Health Risk Assessment.

There have been numerous reports of welder's worker exposure to metal fumes. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic (neurological, dermal, and etc.) effects are the adverse outcomes of exposure to welding fumes. In this review study, data were collected from previous studies conducted in Iran from 1900 to 2020. The risk of carcinogenicity and non-carcinogenicity due to exposure to welding metal fumes was assessed using the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) method based on the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). Results showed mean of metal fume concentration in gas welding was in the range of 1.8248 to 1060.6 (µg/m3) and in arc welding was 54.935 to 4882.72 (µg/m3). The mean concentration of fumes in gas welding is below the recommended American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) standard exposure limit except for manganese, and in the arc welding, all metal fume concentrations are below the standard exposure limit except for manganese and aluminum. The results showed that the risk of carcinogenicity due to exposure to nickel, manganese in both gas and arc welding, and cadmium in gas welding was higher than standard level (hazard quotient (HQ) more than 1). Cancer risk due to exposure to nickel in both gas and arc welding was probable (1 × 10-6 < cancer risk (CR) < 1 × 10-4). Health risk assessment showed that welders are exposed to health risks. Preventive measures should be applied in welding workplaces to reduce the concentrations of metal fumes.