Effect of Occupational Exposure to Rayon Manufacturing Chemicals on Skin Barrier to Evaporative Water Loss

Abstract

Effect of Occupational Exposure to Rayon Manufacturing Chemicals on Skin Barrier to Evaporative Water Loss: Tzu-Chieh CHOU, et al. Department of Environmental and OccupationalHealth-To evaluate the effects of the occupational exposure to rayon manufacturing chemicals (RMC, containing predominantly carbon disulfide (CS 2 ) and minor sulfuric acid) in a rayon factory on the basal transepidermal water loss (TEWL), barrier integrity (BI), and sequential increasing TEWL profiles. Six Thais and five Chinese workers in the spinning department of a rayon manufacturing plant and five healthy unexposed controls were recruited as the test subjects. An area of 4.5 × 5.5 cm on the mid-side of the volar forearm on the right hand was stripped by means of moderate pressure with commercially available adhesive tape by the same technician throughout the experiment. The skin was progressively stripped until glistening. TEWL was measured at every three and five tape strips on the right hand. The corresponding site on the left hand was measured parallel as the selfcontrol. We found significant differences in basal TEWL and in BI between Chinese workers and Chinese controls, and between Thai workers and Chinese workers, respectively. Two-stage patterns of progressive TEWL profiles were found in such a chronic and repeated occupational exposure to RMC containing CS 2 . The occupational exposure to RMC could result in the perturbation of the skin barrier function. Basal TEWL might be more sensitive to chronic skin irritant exposure. The TEWL profile achieved to the glistening stage might be necessary to avoid erroneous pattern

Measurement of transepidermal water loss, stratum corneum hydration and skin surface pH in occupational settings: A review

“…TEWL, SCH and SSpH have been measured on a wide variety of anatomical positions in occupational settings (refer to Figure ). TEWL measurements have been made on the dorsum (back) of hand, volar forearm, extensor forearm, index finger, thumb, palm, wrist, neck and forehead…”

“…TEWL was measured in apprentice hairdressers and nurses and found that hairdressers had an increased risk of hand dermatitis at TEWL <15 g/m 2 /h of the hand, but the increased risk was not statistically significant . No relationship was observed for nurses.…”

“…The majority of studies that investigated measurements of TEWL, SCH and SSpH aimed at finding a (predictive) correlation between parameter measurement and the onset of occupational skin diseases, such as contact dermatitis . Only one study succeeded in proving this, but was later criticised for a weak experimental design .…”

“…TEWL, SCH and SSpH have been measured on a wide variety of anatomical positions in occupational settings (refer to Figure 1). TEWL measurements have been made on the dorsum (back) of hand, 3,4,6,13,25-29 volar forearm, 11,25,27,[29][30][31][32] extensor forearm, 25 index finger, 6 thumb, 6 palm, 4,6,27 wrist, 4,28 neck 6 and forehead. 4,6 SCH was measured on the volar forearm, 3,11,27,29,32 palm, 4,27 dorsum of hand, 3,4,27-29 forehead 4 and wrist.…”

“…The majority of studies that investigated measurements of TEWL, SCH and SSpH aimed at finding a (predictive) correlation between parameter measurement and the onset of occupational skin diseases, such as contact dermatitis. 25,29,30,[33][34][35] Only one study succeeded in proving this, but was later criticised for a weak experimental design. 25 Other studies used skin bioengineering measurements as tools of assessing the effectiveness of various interventions in preventing skin diseases.…”