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.

A Bibliographic Analysis of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in Industrial Environments

“…Figure 2 shows the number of times a pollutant was considered in the collected papers. The group "Other pollutants" includes the 63 that have only been detected once, such as Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) [36], Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Acrylamide [37], Hydrochloric acid [38], Nitric acid (HNO 3 ) [39], Isocyanic acid [40], Selenium (Se), Triglycidyl Isocyanurate (TGIC) [41], and Vinyl chloride monomer [42]. As the graph shows, the first three categories of TPM (Total Particulate Matter), VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), and Metals correspond to 59.81% of the total investigated pollutants in indoor environments.…”

“…The sampling protocols are simple as passive samplers are small and lightweight; they operate without the risk of power loss, clogging, or leaks; and provide accurate results for a range of sampling durations, from daily to quarterly, for various compounds [145,146]. The author of [42] explored a new biological monitoring method for workers in the plastics industry to measure their exposure to the vinyl chloride monomer. He applied an active method in which personal sampling was conducted using a pump with a low flow of 50 mL/min for a period of 200 min.…”

The role of aldehyde dehygrogenase 2 in liver injury caused by vinyl chloride and high-fat diet.

“…Such huge amount of VC emission load causes occupational diseases especially among the people working in chemical and plastic industries. VC is reported to be easily absorbed in human body through respiratory system and to affect multiple organ functions including bronchial irritation, central nerves system impairment and liver damage (25).…”