title: Exploring a new method for the biological monitoring of plastic workers exposed to the vinyl chloride monomer.
abstract: Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) is widely used in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. VCM is recognized as a confirmed human and animal carcinogenic compound. Recent studies have reported poor health of plastic workers, even having exposure at concentrations below the permissible limit to VCM. There has not been any study regarding exposed workers to VCM in Iran. Similarly, no information exists as to the biological monitoring of such workers. The main purpose of this study was to conduct a thorough occupational and biological monitoring of Iranian plastic workers exposed to VCM.A total of 100 workers from two plastic manufacturing plants (A and B) in Tehran along with 25 unexposed workers as controls were studied. The personal monitoring of all nonsmoking workers exposed to VCM at two plastic manufacturing plants (A and B) was performed in the morning shift (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) according to the National Institute For Occupational Safety And Health method no. 1007.Biological monitoring of workers was carried out through collection of exhaled breath of all exposed and control workers in Tedlar bags and with a subsequent analysis using gas chromatography-flame ionization detector.Not only the mean occupational exposure of workers to VCM at plant A was higher than the respective threshold limit value but also the statistical significance was higher than workers at plant B. Similarly, VCM concentration in exhaled breath of workers at plant A was also statistically significantly higher than at plant B. Correlation of occupational exposure of all workers to vinyl chloride with its concentration in exhaled breath was statistically significant.This is the first study on biological monitoring for exposed plastic workers to VCM using exhaled breath. On the basis of the results in this study, a novel method of biological monitoring of plastic workers was proposed.
authors: Safety Promotion and Prevention of Injury Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.|School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors: Mansour Rezazadeh
authors: MR
authors: Azari
authors: School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran rahimian.raana@gmail.com.
authors: Raana
authors: R
authors: Tayefeh-Rahimian
authors: School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors: Mohamad Javad
authors: MJ
authors: Jafari
authors: Safety Promotion and Prevention of Injury Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.|School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors: Hamid
authors: H
authors: Souri
authors: Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Yasser
authors: Y
authors: Shokoohi
authors: School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors: Alaheh
authors: A
authors: Tavakol
authors: School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors: Zahra
authors: Z
authors: Yazdanbakhsh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002617:Chemical Industry; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry; D014752:Vinyl Chloride / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D002273:Carcinogens; D010969:Plastics; D014752:Vinyl Chloride
keywords: PVC; VCM; biological monitoring; exhaled breath