title: Systemic nicotine exposure in tobacco harvesters.
abstract: Several epidemics of nicotine intoxication have been described among tobacco harvesters; however, little is known about nicotine absorption under typical working conditions. To assess systemic nicotine absorption during a regular working shift, the authors performed an observational field study. Included in the study were 10 healthy, nonsmoking, female tobacco harvesters and a control group of 5 healthy, nonsmoking, female hospital workers. Nicotine and cotinine were measured in sequential samples of blood and urine during a regular workshift. Blood nicotine levels rose from a nadir value of 0.79 +/- 0.12 ng/ml to a peak value of 3.45 +/- 0.84 ng/ml (p < .05 [Tukey's modified t test]) in the exposed group. In the control group, levels were stable at 0.1 +/- 0.1 ng/ml (p < .01). Moreover, the mean blood nicotine level measured 3 mo following the end of exposure in 6 of 10 exposed subjects was 0.24 +/- 0.12 ng/ml (p < .01). Corresponding higher values of urine nicotine and urine cotinine were observed in the exposed versus control group (comparative p values were < .01 and < .05, respectively). Overall, tobacco harvesters absorbed approximately 0.8 mg of nicotine daily. Given that nicotine can induce adverse health effects, the authors believe that prevention of nicotine absorption in tobacco harvesters should be sought and that workers should be informed about occupational risks.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale-Istituto di Medicina del Lavoro Università di Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Benowitz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muzi
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Eisner
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Filiberto
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fantozzi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Montanari
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abbritti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016526:Workload
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine; D003367:Cotinine