Spontaneous abortion in the British semiconductor industry: An HSE investigation

Elliott, Richard C.; Jones, Jacky R.; McElvenny, Damien; Pennington, M. Jean; Northage, Christine; Clegg, Tracy A.; Clarke, Simon; Hodgson, John; Osman, John

doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199911)36:5<557::aid-ajim8>3.0.co;2-q

Cited by 38 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…In the current study, exposed group did not differ from non-exposed group in terms of ergonomic factors (P [ 0.05). Also in our study the frequency of spontaneous abortion in exposed group was 10.7% which is compatible with the results of Elliott et al (1999).…”

Section: Spontaneous Abortionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Assessment of time to pregnancy and spontaneous abortion status following occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture

Attarchi

Ashouri

Labbafinejad

et al. 2011

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Section: Spontaneous Abortionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Assessment of time to pregnancy and spontaneous abortion status following occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture

Attarchi

Ashouri

Labbafinejad

et al. 2011

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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“…W badaniu kohortowym kobiet zatrudnionych w amerykańskim przemyśle półprze-wodników i narażonych na EGAE w miejscu pracy wykazano niewielki wzrost ryzyka samoistnego poronienia -w kohorcie historycznej standaryzowane względ-ne ryzyko (relative risk -RR) z 95-procentowym przedziałem ufności (confidence interval -CI) wynosiło 1,43 (95% CI: 0,95-2,09), natomiast w kohorcie prospektywnej -1,25 (95% CI: 0,63-1,76) [11]. W podobnym badaniu, przeprowadzonym w brytyjskim przemyśle pół-przewodników, nie wykazano podwyższonego ryzyka samoistnego poronienia u kobiet narażonych na rozpuszczalniki organiczne, w tym na EGAE i ich estry [12]. Natomiast w innym badaniu, w kohorcie liczącej 378 kobiet narażonych na EGAE, stwierdzono 93 przypadki samoistnego poronienia na 561 ciąż mnogich.…”

Section: Wyniki Przegląduunclassified

Ethylene glycol and propylene glycol ethers – Reproductive and developmental toxicity

Starek‐Świechowicz

Stárek

2015

Med Pr

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StreszczenieEtery alkilowe glikolu etylenowego (ethylene glycol alkyl ethers -EGAE) i propylenowego (propylene glycol alkyl ethers -PGAE) są szeroko stosowane w przemyśle i gospodarstwie domowym, głównie jako rozpuszczalniki. Niektóre EGAE wykazują działanie gonadotoksyczne, embriotoksyczne, fetotoksyczne i teratogenne zarówno u ludzi, jak i zwierząt doświadczalnych. Ze względu na szkodliwe działanie tych eterów na rozrodczość i rozwój organizmu EGAE są zastępowane znacznie mniej toksycznymi PGAE. W niniejszej pracy przedstawiono dane na temat mechanizmów toksycznego działania EGAE na komórki rozrodcze, zarodek i płód. Szczególną uwagę zwrócono na metabolizm niektórych EGAEs i ich toksyczność narządową, a także na apoptozę spermatocytów związaną ze zmianami ekspresji genów, które kodują czynniki stresu oksydacyjnego, kinazy białkowe i jądrowe receptory hormonów. Med. Pr. 2015;66(5):725-737Słowa kluczowe: etery glikolu etylenowego, etery glikolu propylenowego, toksyczność rozwojowa, mechanizmy toksyczności, toksyczność reprodukcyjna, apoptoza AbstractBoth ethylene and propylene glycol alkyl ethers (EGAEs and PGAEs, respectively) are widely used, mainly as solvents, in industrial and household products. Some EGAEs demonstrate gonadotoxic, embriotoxic, fetotoxic and teratogenic effects in both humans and experimental animals. Due to the noxious impact of these ethers on reproduction and development of organisms EGAEs are replaced for considerably less toxic PGAEs. The data on the mechanisms of testicular, embriotoxic, fetotoxic and teratogenic effects of EGAEs are presented in this paper. Our particular attention was focused on the metabolism of some EGAEs and their organ-specific toxicities, apoptosis of spermatocytes associated with changes in the expression of various genes that code for oxidative stress factors, protein kinases and nuclear hormone receptors. WSTĘPEtery alkilowe glikolu etylenowego (ethylene glycol alkyl ethers -EGAE) i propylenowego (propylene glycol alkyl ethers -PGAE) są produktami addycji odpowiednio tlenku etylenu i tlenku propylenu z pierwszorzędo-wymi alkoholami alifatycznymi. Reakcje te przebiegają w warunkach podwyższonego ciśnienia i temperatury oraz w obecności katalizatora. Ponieważ w tych reakcjach dochodzi także do procesu poliaddycji tlenków alkilowych, oprócz eterów monoetylenowych i monopropylenowych powstają również odpowiednie dii trietery o większych masach cząsteczkowych i mniejszej lotności od monomerów. Związki te umownie nazwano eterami serii E i serii P [1].Do eterów glikolowych serii E należą m.in.: n metoksyetanol (ethylene glycol methyl ether -EGME) (numer CAS: 109-86-4), n etoksyetanol (ethylene glycol ethyl ether -EGEE) (110-80-5), n butoksyetanol (ethylene glycol butyl ether -EGBE) (111-76-2), n metoksydietanol (diethylene glycol methyl ether -DEGME) (111-77-3), n etoksydietanol (diethylene glycol ethyl ether -DEGEE) (111-90-0),

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“…Furthermore, the fact that risk estimates were obtained through internal comparison between workers gives more credibility to the results by minimizing the 'infertile worker effect'. 35 Two studies did not observe a significant risk elevation; of these, one case-control study was apparently subject to selection bias and insufficient statistical power 36 and another was hampered by misclassification bias (Tables 1 and A1). 37 As a causal agent(s), most studies suspected organic solvents, in particular EGE, a well-known repro-toxin.…”

Section: 22mentioning

confidence: 99%

The health impacts of semiconductor production: an epidemiologic review

Kim¹,

Kim

Paek

2013

International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health

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Background: Despite concerns over the harmful health effects of semiconductor production, epidemiological studies have shown mixed results. Objectives: We aim to critically appraise epidemiologic studies to date, and to suggest future research and actions to protect workers in semiconductor industry. Methods: Epidemiologic studies were identified through electronic database searches, review of reference lists of relevant published works, and expert consultations, and were narratively reviewed. Results: Most evidence suggests reproductive risks from fabrication jobs, including spontaneous abortion (SAB), congenital malformation, and reduced fertility. Although chemicals have been suspected as causal agents, knowledge of the likely contribution(s) from specific exposures is still limited. Evidence of cancer risk seems to be equivocal. However, the available studies had serious limitations including healthy worker effects (HWEs), information bias, and insufficient power, all of which are associated with underestimation. Nevertheless, excess risks for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), leukemia, brain tumor, and breast cancer were observed. Conclusions: Monitoring and innovative research based on international collaboration with a focus on sentinel events are required.Keywords: Adverse reproductive outcomes, Cancer, Epidemiology, Healthy worker effect, Information bias, Semiconductor, Statistical power IntroductionThe semiconductor industry began as a parts production sector of the microelectronic industry in the 1960s. However, with the growth of the computer industry, semiconductor manufacturing has taken the linchpin of the entire microelectronics industry. Semiconductor global sales revenue reached US$307 billion as of 2011, 1 and the size of workforce is also huge; for instance, the number of employees in just two countries -South Korea (hereafter Korea) 2 and Taiwan 3 -exceeds 290 000. This industry is typically characterized by highly specialized processes, rapid technological innovation, significant chemical use, and large-scale investment to support such innovation and mass production, 4 all of which could influence workers' health and safety. Contrary to its 'clean' image represented by 'bunny suits', semiconductor production includes a wide variety of hazards. Work processes mainly consist of three steps -wafer manufacturing, fabrication, and packaging/testing, and at each step, there are various sub-processes. In particular, the wafer-fabrication process includes material deposition, photolithography, etching, and doping, all of which include the use of hazardous materials. 5 A variety of chemicals including organic solvents, acids, and metals are heavily used. Some individual chemicals are simply irritants to skin or respiratory organs, whereas others are carcinogens, reproductive toxins, and/or neurotoxins. Air recirculation systems designed to minimize dust make workers more vulnerable to effects from these chemicals both singly and in complex combinations. Physical hazards including extremely low-frequen...

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Spontaneous abortion in the British semiconductor industry: An HSE investigation

Cited by 38 publications

References 9 publications

Assessment of time to pregnancy and spontaneous abortion status following occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture

Assessment of time to pregnancy and spontaneous abortion status following occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture

Ethylene glycol and propylene glycol ethers – Reproductive and developmental toxicity

The health impacts of semiconductor production: an epidemiologic review

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