title: Six-month follow-up study of health markers of nanomaterials among workers handling engineered nanomaterials.
abstract: The aim of this study was to identify the health hazards and possible exposure surveillance markers of workers exposed to nanoparticles during manufacturing and application in comparison to a group of unexposed workers. For this longitudinal study, we recruited 158 nanomaterial-handling workers and 104 non-exposed workers from 14 manufacturing plants in Taiwan (baseline). Among them, 124 nanomaterial-handling workers and 77 unexposed workers were monitored 6 months later. We investigated pulmonary and cardiovascular disease markers, inflammation and oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzymes and genotoxicity markers. Antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) and cardiovascular markers (vascular cell adhesion molecule, paraoxonase) were significantly associated with nanomaterial-handling during the 6-month follow-up period. In addition, the small airway damage marker (Clara cell protein 16) and lung function test parameters were also significantly associated with handling nanomaterials. The study markers and lung function tests are possible markers that could be useful for surveillance of nanomaterial-handling workers.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes , Miaoli , Taiwan .
authors.forename: Hui-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Yu-Teh
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Ching-Huang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Shu-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hung-Che
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Lih-Ann
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tsui-Chun
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tsou
authors.forename: Wan-Fen
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hui-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wei-Te
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ming-Hsiu
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jin-Huei
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Jiune-Jye
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Chiou-Jong
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tung-Sheng
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Chin-Chi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Saou-Hsing
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Liou
mesh_terms: D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D049329:Nanostructures; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D013624:Taiwan
keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; cardiovascular disease; follow-up study; genotoxicity; health markers; lung inflammation; nanomaterials; oxidative stress; pulmonary function