Health surveillance study of workers who manufacture multi-walled carbon nanotubes.
While many in vivo and in vitro toxicology studies of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have already indicated that exposure to MWCNTs can potentially induce health effects in humans, the actual health effects of MWCNTs among exposed workers are not yet known. Moreover, the levels of exposure and internal doses of MWCNTs are becoming more and more important for estimating the health effects resulting from exposure to MWCNTs. However, information on biomonitoring and exposure to MWCNTs remains limited. Therefore, the authors conducted a health surveillance study in a workplace that manufactures MWCNTs, including assessment of the personal and area exposure levels to MWCNTs, a walk-through evaluation of the manufacturing process, and collection of blood and exhaled breath condensates (EBCs) from the MWCNT manufacturing and office workers. In addition, a pulmonary function test was also conducted on the MWCNT manufacturing workers (9) and office workers (4). The worker exposure to elemental carbon was found to be 6.2-9.3 μg/m(3) in the personal samplings and 5.5-7.3 μg/m(3) in the area samplings. Notwithstanding, the workers exhibited a normal range of hematology and blood biochemistry values and normal lung function parameters. When analyzing the EBCs, the malondialdehyde (MDA), 4-hydroxy-2-hexenal (4-HHE) and n-hexanal levels in the MWCNT manufacturing workers were significantly higher than those in the office workers. The MDA and n-hexanal levels were also significantly correlated with the blood molybdenum concentration, suggesting MDA, n-hexanal and molybdenum as useful biomarkers of MWCNT exposure.
Occupational Lung Diseases Institute, Korea Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service , Ansan , Korea .
Jong Seong
JS
Lee
Young Chul
YC
Choi
Jae Hoon
JH
Shin
Ji Hyun
JH
Lee
Yurim
Y
Lee
So Young
SY
Park
Jin Ee
JE
Baek
Jung Duck
JD
Park
Kangho
K
Ahn
Il Je
IJ
Yu
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000633:toxicity*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000592:standards; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards
D015415:Biomarkers; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon
Exhaled breath condensates; MWCNTs; exposure; health surveillance; workers