Assessment of airborne and dermal exposure to 2-ethoxyethyl acetate in an occupational environment.
BACKGROUND
Because of its chemical-physical properties, 2-ethoxyethyl acetate (EEAc) can penetrate through the skin. However, no actual occupational environmental studies or empirical dermal exposure measurements have been performed.


METHODS
Twenty workers from a commercial label silk screening shop were recruited and they completed a questionnaire of demographic information. Environmental monitoring of EEAc exposure via respiratory and dermal routes was performed for five consecutive working days.


RESULTS
Airborne EEAc concentration was over the permissible exposure limit of 5 ppm in 90% of the participants. The dermal EEAc concentration was highest on the palms. The EEAc concentration correlated with skin exposure level (P < 0.001). The dermal EEAc concentrations in individuals who did not wear gloves were higher than in those who wore gloves.


CONCLUSIONS
EEAc on the skin is strongly associated with airborne EEAc. Wearing impermeable gloves during high-risk tasks (cleaning process) can reduce EEAc dermal exposure on the palms.
Shih
Tung-Sheng
TS
Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Kuo
Yu-Chieh
YC
Liang
Ro-Han
RH
Liou
Saou-Hsing
SH
Chang
Ho-Yuan
HY
Chou
Tzu-Chieh
TC
D000328:Adult; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D005026:Ethylene Glycols; C022278:ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate