Chiou-Jong Chen

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.

The Effectiveness of a Training Program on Reducing Needlestick Injuries/Sharp Object Injuries among Soon Graduate Vocational Nursing School Students in Southern Taiwan

The Effectiveness of a Training Program on Reducing Needlestick Injuries/Sharp Object Injuries among Soon Graduate Vocational Nursing School Students in Southern Taiwan: Ya‐Hui Yang, et al. Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan—Needlestick/ sharp injuries (NSIs/SIs) are a serious threat to medical/ nursing students in hospital internships. Education for preventing NSIs/SIs is important for healthcare workers but is rarely conducted and evaluated among vocational school nursing students. We conducted an educational intervention for such students after their internship rotations before graduation. This program consisted of a lecture to the students after the internship training and a self‐study brochure for them to study before their graduation. This study used the pre‐test questionnaires completed by all students and the post‐test questionnaires completed by 107 graduates after work experience as licensed nurses to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. After educational intervention, the incidence of NSIs/SIs decreased significantly from 50.5% pre‐test to 25.2% post‐test, and the report rate increased from 37.0% to 55.6%, respectively. In conclusion, this intervention significantly reduced the incidence of NSIs/SIs and increased the report rate of such events.

A cohort mortality study of workers exposed to chlorinated organic solvents in Taiwan.

PURPOSE A retrospective cohort mortality study based on standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) was conducted to investigate the possible association between exposure to chlorinated organic solvents and various types of cancer deaths. METHODS Vital status and causes of death of study subjects were determined from January 1, 1985 to December 31, 1997 by linking cohort data with the National Mortality Database. Person-year accumulation began on the date of entry to the cohort, or January 1, 1985 (whichever came later), and ended on the closing date of the study (December 31, 1997), if alive; or the date of death. RESULTS This retrospective cohort study examined cancer mortality among 86,868 workers at an electronics factory in the northern Taiwan. Using various durations of employment and latency and adjusting for age and calendar year, no significantly elevated SMR was found for any cancer in either male or female exposed workers when compared with the general Taiwanese population. In particular, the risk of female breast cancer was not found to be increased. Although ovarian cancer suggested an upward trend when analyzed by length of employment, ovarian cancer risk for the entire female cohort was not elevated. CONCLUSIONS It is concluded that this study provided no evidence that exposure to chlorinated organic solvents was associated with human cancer risk.

Musculoskeletal Disorder among 52,261 Chinese Restaurant Cooks Cohort: Result from the National Health Insurance Data

Musculoskeletal Disorder among 52,261 Chinese Restaurant Cooks Cohort: Result from the National Health Insurance Data: Huei‐Sheng Shiue, et al. Graduate Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan—To investigate the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and the particular MSDs to which Chinese restaurant cooks are most at risk in Taiwan, National Health Insurance Data from1998 to 2002 were used to identify MSDs for study populations, including 52,261 certified cooks and 209,044 references matched for age and sex. The annual incidence of MSDs was around 25% and 20% for cooks and references, respectively, and the cook‐to‐reference risk ratios ranged from 1.29 to 1.35 (p<0.001). The most frequently affected body part was the low back, but the epicondyle was at higher risk (OR>2) than other sites for the cooks. Cooks are at higher risk of having MSDs complaints and MSDs related to the elbow show the highest risk.

Associations between exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and temporal change of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in taiwanese coke-oven workers

Objectives: Our aim is to analyze the association between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure and the temporal change of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP). Methods: Two personal air samples, eight spot urine samples, and questionnaires were used to collect PAH exposure, urinary 1-OHP, demographic data, and environmental pollutants. Results: Topside-oven workers had significantly higher levels of PAH exposure and 1-OHP than side-oven workers. Urinary 1-OHP was a biomarker for PAH exposure. In topside-oven workers, the trend of 1-OHP increased sharply and reached the top in the sixth day after work and declined dramatically on days off. In side-oven workers, such a trend was not found, and those who smoked showed a slight increase in urinary 1-OHP levels on days off. Conclusions: We suggest that the pattern of temporal change of urinary 1-OHP levels is different between topside-oven and side-oven workers.

Reduction of cooking oil fume exposure following an engineering intervention in Chinese restaurants

Background A new engineering intervention measure, an embracing air curtain device (EACD), was used to increase the capture efficiency of cooker hoods and reduce cooking oil fume (COF) exposure in Chinese restaurants. Methods An EACD was installed in six Chinese restaurants where the cooks complained of COF exposure. Before- and after-installation measurements were taken to compare changes in particulate matter (PM) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in kitchen air, and changes in levels of urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA). The association between PM and PAHs in air and 8-OHdG and MDA in urine was evaluated by linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results Results showed that geometric mean kitchen air levels of PM10, PM2.5, PM1.0 and total particulate PAHs were significantly reduced after the EACDs were introduced. Urinary levels of 8-OHdG and MDA in cooks were also significantly lower after EACD instalment. PM2.5, PM1.0 and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) levels were positively associated with urinary 8-OHdG levels after adjusting for key personal covariates. Urinary MDA levels in cooks were also positively associated with BaP levels after adjusting for key personal covariates. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the EACD is effective for reducing COF and oxidative stress levels in cooks working in Chinese kitchens.

Glycine N-methyltransferase affects urinary 1-hydroxypyrene and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels after PAH exposure.

Objectives: The object of this study was to assess the modulating effects of genetic polymorphisms of glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) genotypes on 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in urine from coke-oven workers, consistently exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Methods: The study participants included 289 coke-oven workers from a steel company in Taiwan. Personal air samples, spot urine samples, peripheral blood samples, and questionnaires were used to quantify PAH exposure, oxidative DNA damage, GNMT gene polymorphisms, demographic data, and environmental pollutants. Results: Urinary 1-OHP level, GNMT STRP1 genotype, and worksite were significant predictors of urinary 8-OHdG levels after adjustments were made for covariates. Conclusions: This study suggests that GNMT STRP1 could modulate urinary 1-OHP and 8-OHdG levels in coke-oven workers exposed to PAHs.

0061 Epidemiological study of lung inflammation and oxidative damage in indium tin oxide workers

Objectives Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) is widely used in many kinds of touch panels nowadays. Workers could expose to ITO particles from sintering granules, splashing, pulverisation, cutting, and grinding processes. This study aimed to assess the relationship between ITO exposure and lung inflammation and oxidative damage in ITO workers. Method We recruited 148 exposed workers and 38 control workers from ITO powder process, recycling and ITO target manufacturing plants in Taiwan. Indium in serum (S-In) and urine (U-In) was determined as biomarkers of exposure. Exposed group was further divided as high (S-In > 3 µg/L and low exposed groups (S-In £3 µg/L). Urinary and plasma 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), serum Clara cell protein (CC16), and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) were measured as biomarkers of oxidative damage and pulmonary inflammation, respectively. Results The geometric mean air concentrations of indium were 0.0041 ± 2.49 mg/m3 by area sampling and 0.017 ± 5.20 mg/m3 by personal sampling. The mean S-In level and U-In level in high exposed group were 8.01 ppb and 3.45 ppb, respectively. The mean levels of S-In and U-In in high exposed group were significantly higher than those of low exposed group. The mean levels of serum CC16 and urinary 8-OHdG in high exposed group were also significantly higher than those of low exposed groups. After adjusting potential confounders, dose-response gradients were found between S-In and CC16 (p = 0.020) and between S-In and urinary 8-OHdG (p = 0.027), respectively. Conclusions We concluded that indium particles exposure may induce lung inflammation and DNA oxidative damage.