Occupational exposure to mixtures of organic solvents increases the risk of neurological symptoms among printing workers in Hong Kong.
OBJECTIVE
Summarize the nature and extent of exposure to organic solvents to which printing workers in this study were subjected. Compare the numbers of neurological symptoms in exposed and non-exposed workers and how they related to level of exposure, as defined by specific job title or by air sampling. Clarify the relationship between exposure to organic solvents and individual psychoneurological and other symptoms.
The health effects of low-dose occupational exposure to organic solvents remains unclear. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 762 male printing workers to assess the impacts of exposure to mixtures of n-hexane, toluene, isopropyl alcohol, and benzene on neurological and other symptoms. After controlling for age, smoking, alcohol drinking, past exposure history, working hours and shift work, current exposure to solvent mixtures was significantly associated with the total number of neurological symptoms and with the prevalence of specific symptoms of the nervous system and mucous membrane irritation. The adjusted odds ratio of neurovegetative lability (1.7-5.9), abnormal or reduced smell (1.6-4.1), memory loss (1.8), and mucous membrane irritation symptoms (1.5-4.6) significantly increased in the exposed group, especially when the summation index of exposure exceeded one.
Yu
Ignatius Tak-Sun
IT
Department of Community & Family Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. iyu@cuhk.edu.hk
Lee
Nga Lan
NL
Zhang
Xin Hua
XH
Chen
Wei Qing
WQ
Lam
Yik Tsz
YT
Wong
Tze Wai
TW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009790:Occupations; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015995:Prevalence; D011327:Printing; D012306:Risk; D012997:Solvents / Q000009:adverse effects*
D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012997:Solvents