Exposure assessment for study of olfactory function in workers exposed to styrene in the reinforced-plastics industry.
BACKGROUND
This study was undertaken in conjunction with an evaluation of the olfactory function of 52 persons exposed to styrene vapors to provide quantitative styrene exposure histories of each subject for use in the interpretation of the results of olfactory function testing.


METHODS
Current and historic exposures were investigated. Historic exposures were reconstructed from employment records and measurements of styrene exposure made in the subject facilities over the last 15 years. Current exposures were estimated for every exposed subject though personal air sampling and through pre- and post-shift measurements of urinary metabolites of styrene.


RESULTS
The study population had been employed in the reinforced-plastics industry for an average of 12.2 +/- 7.4 years. Their mean 8-hr time weighted average (TWA) respirator-corrected annual average styrene exposure was 12.6 +/- 10.4 ppm; mean cumulative exposure was 156 +/- 80 ppm-years. The current respirator-corrected 8-hr TWA average exposure was 15.1 +/- 12.0 ppm. The mean post-shift urinary mandelic and phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA) concentrations were 580 +/- 1,300 and 170 +/- 360 mg/g creatinine, respectively and were highly correlated with air concentrations of styrene.


CONCLUSIONS
This quantitative exposure evaluation has provided a well-characterized population, with documented exposure histories stable over time and in the range suitable for the purposes of the associated study of olfactory function.
Lees
Peter S J
PS
Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. plees@jhsph.edu
Stefaniak
Aleksandr
A
Emmett
Edward A
EA
Dalton
Pamela
P
D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis; D000892:Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary / Q000652:urine*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006038:Glyoxylates / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008333:Mandelic Acids / Q000652:urine*; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis; D010969:Plastics; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology; D020058:Styrene / Q000652:urine*; D013997:Time Factors
D000892:Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary; D015415:Biomarkers; D006038:Glyoxylates; D008333:Mandelic Acids; D010969:Plastics; C012482:phenylglyoxylic acid; D020058:Styrene; D003404:Creatinine