[Dermal risk assessment in occupational medicine].
The importance of dermal exposure has increased during the last few years mainly because of the reduction of respiratory exposure to toxicants. Pesticides, aromatic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are considered to be the chemicals with highest dermal risk. In the occupational exposure limit lists of the ACGIH and of many countries compounds that can be absorbed through the skin are identified by a skin notation. Usually the skin notation indicates that the percutaneous absorption of the chemical can contribute to the body burden. However, a generally accepted criterion for assigning skin notation does not exist. When it is possible to make standardized measurements of dermal exposure, it will be possible to develop Dermal Occupational Exposure Limits (DOEL) with which such measurements can be compared to enable a regulatory approach in the risk assessment field. However, the recent attempts to develop health-based DOELs have not been accepted, thus in practice their use has been limited.
Sartorelli
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Istituto di Medicina del Lavoro, Università degli Studi di Siena.
D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D009787:Occupational Medicine; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*