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Epidemiological study of health hazards among workers handling engineered nanomaterials

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to establish and identify the health effect markers of workers with potential exposure to nanoparticles (20–100 nm) during manufacturing and/or application of nanomaterials. For this cross-sectional study, we recruited 227 workers who handled nanomaterials and 137 workers for comparison who did not from 14 plants in Taiwan. A questionnaire was used to collect data on exposure status, demographics, and potential confounders. The health effect markers were measured in the medical laboratory. Control banding from the Nanotool Risk Level Matrix was used to categorize the exposure risk levels of the workers. The results showed that the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD) in risk level 1 (RL1) and risk level 2 (RL2) workers was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than in control workers. A significantly decreasing gradient was found for SOD (control > RL1 > RL2). Another antioxidant, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), was significantly lower only in RL1 workers than in the control workers. The cardiovascular markers, fibrinogen and ICAM (intercellular adhesion molecule), were significantly higher in RL2 workers than in controls and a significant dose–response with an increasing trend was found for these two cardiovascular markers. Another cardiovascular marker, interleukin-6, was significantly increased among RL1 workers, but not among RL2 workers. The accuracy rate for remembering 7-digits and reciting them backwards was significantly lower in RL2 workers (OR = 0.48) than in controls and a significantly reversed gradient was also found for the correct rate of backward memory (OR = 0.90 for RL1, OR = 0.48 for RL2, p < 0.05 in test for trend). Depression of antioxidant enzymes and increased expression of cardiovascular markers were found among workers handling nanomaterials. Antioxidant enzymes, such as SOD and GPX, and cardiovascular markers, such as fibrinogen, ICAM, and interluekin-6, are possible biomarkers for medical surveillance of workers handling engineered nanomaterials.

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Abbreviations

CC16:

Clara cell protein

NO:

Nitric oxide

NF-κB:

Nuclear factor-kappaB reporter system

IL-6:

Interleukin-6

IL-6sR:

Interleukin-6 soluble receptor

8-OHdG:

8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine

HSP70:

Heat shock protein 70 

N7-MeG:

N7-Methylguanosine

MPO:

Myeloperoxidase

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

GPx:

Glutathione peroxidase

VCAM:

Vascular cell adhesion molecule

ICAM:

Intercellular adhesion molecule

hsCRP:

High sensitive C-reactive protein

HRV:

Heart rate variability

SDNN:

Standard deviation of all normal to normal R–R intervals

RMSSD:

The root mean square of successive differences between adjacent normal cycles

VLF:

Very low frequency

LF:

Low frequency

HF:

High frequency

LF/HF:

Low frequency/high frequency ratio

FVC:

Forced vital capacity

FEV1:

Forced expiratory volume at 1 s

MMF:

Maximal mid-expiratory flow

PEFR:

Peak expiratory flow rate

FEF25 %:

Forced expiratory flow at 25 %

FEF50 %:

Forced expiratory flow at 50 %

FEF75 %:

Forced expiratory flow at 75 %

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Acknowledgments

This study was partly supported by National Health Research Institutes (98A1-EOSP03-014, 99A1-EOSP03-014, 00A1-EOSP03-014) and Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH98-M323, IOSH99-M323, IOSH100-M323), Taiwan, ROC. The authors thank Dr. C. J. Tsai at National Chiao-Tung University, Taiwan, ROC, and Dr. M. Ellenbecker and Dr. Candace S. J. Tsai at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA for their assistance in the exposure assessments of nanoparticles in the workplace.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Environmental Health & Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan Town, Miaoli County, 35053, Taiwan, ROC

    Saou-Hsing Liou, Tsui-Chun Tsou, Shu-Li Wang, Lih-Ann Li, Hung-Che Chiang, Wan-Fen Li, Pin-Pin Lin, Hui-Yi Liao & Yu-Teh Chung

  2. Department of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

    Saou-Hsing Liou & Ching-Huang Lai

  3. Institute of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University and Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC

    Saou-Hsing Liou, Shu-Li Wang & Tung-Sheng Shih

  4. Department of Chemistry, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

    Hui-Ling Lee

  5. Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

    Ming-Hsiu Lin, Jin-Huei Hsu, Chiou-Rong Chen & Tung-Sheng Shih

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  1. Saou-Hsing Liou
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  2. Tsui-Chun Tsou
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Correspondence to Saou-Hsing Liou.

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Special Issue Editors: Candace S.-J. Tsai, Michael J. Ellenbecker

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Nanotechnology, Occupational and Environmental Health

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Liou, SH., Tsou, TC., Wang, SL. et al. Epidemiological study of health hazards among workers handling engineered nanomaterials. J Nanopart Res 14, 878 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-012-0878-5

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