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- Blomqvist, A, et al.
(författare)
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Airways symptoms, immunological response and exposure in powder painting
- 2005
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Ingår i: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-1246 .- 0340-0131. ; 78:2, s. 123-131
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Powder painting is an alternative to solvent-based spray painting. Powder paints may contain organic acid anhydrides (OAAs), which are irritants to the airways and may cause sensitisation. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and immunological response among powder painters and to describe the exposure to OAAs. Methods: In all, 205 subjects in 32 enterprises participated: 93 exposed and 26 formerly exposed workers in 25 powder paint shops and 86 unexposed workers. They completed a questionnaire about working conditions and symptoms and took part in a medical examination, which included a lung function test. Urine samples, for determination of two OAAs, and blood samples, for analysis of specific antibodies against the OAAs, were taken. In addition, 33 paint samples were analysed for nine OAAs. Results: The powder painters reported more work-related respiratory symptoms than unexposed subjects did. The prevalence of three or more symptoms was 24% in subjects with low exposure, 44% in highly exposed individuals, 46% in formerly exposed subjects and 19% in unexposed workers. Asthma symptoms were frequent, 7%, 40%, 15% and 2%, respectively. Regression analyses of the lung volumes did not show any influence of exposure. IgG, but not IgE, against the OAAs and metabolites of OAAs was found in some subjects, but no associations with the exposure could be observed. OAAs were found in only small amounts in the paint samples. Conclusions: The exposure to organic acid anhydrides was estimated to be low, and yet, IgG antibodies to OAA were observed in some subjects. The prevalence of work-related symptoms from the eyes and the airways was relatively high among the powder painters, and these symptoms, but not the lung volumes, were clearly related to exposure. The symptoms were probably caused by irritative properties of the powder paint dust.
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| 5. |
- Drexler, H, et al.
(författare)
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Exposure assessment and sensitisation in workers exposed to organic acid anhydrides
- 2000
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Ingår i: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-1246 .- 0340-0131. ; 73:4, s. 228-234
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To clarify whether the intensity of exposure to organic acid anhydrides (OAAs) is associated with the risk of sensitisation to these allergens. METHODS: The investigations were carried out in three different manufacturing plants (A, B, and C) where OAAs were used in the production of epoxy resins. Methyltetrahydrophthalic acid anhydride (MTHPA) was used in all three plants. The exposure assessment included stationary and ambient air monitoring (OAAs in the air) and biological monitoring (metabolites in urine). In plant A 20, in plant B 86 and in plant C 113 employees were examined by a physician (anamnesis, skin-prick test, specific IgE, spirometry). In plants B and C, the exposure areas were classified as high, medium, and low, without the results of the exposure assessment being known. RESULTS: The ambient air concentrations (in microg/m3) of MTHPA were 37.2 and 58.5 in plant A (number of samples n = 2), ranged from <0.5-26.2 in plant B (n = 5) and from 2.1-57.9 in plant C (n = 3) with stationary air collecting, and from 8-45 (n = 6), from < 4.7-35.7 (n = 3) and from 2-37.8 (n = 3) with personal air collection. The metabolites of OAAs in urine (in nmol/mmol creatinine) ranged from 5.7-645 (median of MTHPA: 346) in plant A, from < 1-213 (median of MTHPA: 10.1) in plant B and from 0.1-830 (median of the sum of the OOA metabolites: 108.6) in plant C. The prevalence of sensitisation was 35% in plant A, 21% in plant B and 29% in plant C. A higher prevalence in the highly exposed areas, however, could not be seen. Levels of IgE specific for conjugates of MTHPA were not associated with the metabolites in the end of shift urine. Levels of IgG specific for conjugates of MTHPA, however, were associated with the metabolites in the end of shift urine. CONCLUSIONS: The data showed that biological monitoring is a useful tool in the exposure assessment of OAAs. Comparing the prevalence of sensitisation and the results of biological monitoring, between the three plants, we found that sensitisation increased with increasing exposure. Within a plant a higher risk of sensitisation in persons working in highly exposed areas at the time of the examination could not be seen, possibly due to frequent job rotation.
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| 8. |
- Hagerman, Inger, et al.
(författare)
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Effects on heart rate variability by artificially generated indoor nano-sized particles in a chamber study
- 2014
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310. ; 88, s. 165-171
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Airborne particles are associated with increased morbidity and mortality due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in polluted areas. There is a growing interest in nano-sized particles with diameter < 100 nm and their potential health effects. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a noninvasive method for cardiovascular risk prediction in high prevalent groups. Aim of study: The aim was to evaluate the impact of nano-sized indoor air particles on HRV for healthy and adult females. Methods: All exposures were performed as controlled chamber experiments with particle exposure from burning candles, terpene + ozone reactions or filtered air in a double-blind cross over design. Twenty-two healthy females were investigated during 10 min periods at different exposures and the reactivity in high frequency (HF) spectral band of HRV were computed. Results: Heart rate was unchanged from baseline values in all groups during all experimental settings. HF power of HRV tended to increase during exposure to particles from burning candle while particles from terpene + ozone reactions tended to decrease HF power. Conclusions: Exposure to nano-sized particles of burning candles or terpene + ozone reactions results in different patterns of heart rate variability, with signs of altered autonomic cardiovascular control. Practical implications: This study indicates that the HRV method may be used for information on physiological responses of exposure to different nano-sized particles and contribute to the understanding of mechanisms behind health effects of particle exposures. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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| 9. |
- Isaxon, Christina, et al.
(författare)
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A Novel System for Source Characterization and Controlled Human Exposure to Nanoparticle Aggregates Generated During Gas–Metal Arc Welding
- 2013
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Ingår i: Aerosol Science and Technology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1521-7388 .- 0278-6826. ; 47:1, s. 52-59
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abstract in Undetermined The aim of this study was to achieve a method to perform detailed characterization and human exposure studies of nanosized and nanostructured aerosol particles. The source chosen was mild steel, active gas, arc welding fume. The setup consisted of a generation chamber, where welding can be performed, connected to an airtight stainless steel 22 m(3) exposure chamber. Instrumentation, consisting of a tapered element oscillating microbalance, a scanning mobility particle sizer, and a sampler for electron microscopy and particle-induced X-ray emission analysis was connected to the stainless steel chamber. The feasibility of the system for human exposure studies was evaluated by exposing 31 human volunteers, in groups of three, to a test aerosol containing 1 mg/m(3) welding fumes and to conditioned, filtered air. The results show that an aerosol that accurately represents dilute welding fume exposures that occur in workplaces can be produced in a controlled manner, and that the experimental setup can be used for 6 h, double-blind, exposures of human subjects. Particle mass concentration levels could be varied from <5 mu g/m(3) to more than 1000 mu g/m(3). Fumes from metal active gas welding showed a unimodal size distribution with a mean mobility diameter of 160 nm, transmission electron microscopy showed aggregates with a clearly nanosized structure.
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| 10. |
- Isaxon, Christina, et al.
(författare)
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Realistic indoor nano-aerosols for a human exposure facility
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Aerosol Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0021-8502. ; 60, s. 55-66
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to achieve realistic levels of two different types of aerosols commonly abundant in indoor environments in an experimental chamber intended for human exposure studies and aerosol characterization. The aerosols chosen were particles from candle lights (in particle number dominated by inorganic water soluble particles) and from ozone-terpene reactions (organic particles). The aerosol generation and characterization system consisted of a controlled air tight stainless steel 22 m(3) chamber, to which the generation set-ups were connected. No air could enter or leave the chamber except through a conditioning system by which temperature, relative humidity and air exchange rate could be controlled. Candle smoke aerosol was generated from ten candles burning in a 1.33 m(3) glass and stainless steel chamber. The aerosol was diluted by clean air from the conditioning system before entering the chamber. Terpene vapor was generated by passing pure nitrogen through a glass bottle containing limonene oil. Ozone was generated by a spark discharge using pure O-2, and was added to the ventilation air flow downstream the inlet for terpene vapors and upstream the inlet to the chamber. Both aerosols were characterized with respect to number and mass concentrations, size distribution and chemical composition. Particle number concentration in the size range 10-650 nm could be varied from <10 cm(-3) to more than 900,000 cm(-3) (for candle smoke) or to more than 30,000 cm(-3) (for particles formed in a 160 ppb terpene/40 ppb ozone mixture). Furthermore, the set-ups were evaluated by, for each source, repeating the generation at six three-hour long events. For both aerosols repeatable generations at pre-determined concentration levels, that were stable over time, could be achieved. The results show that realistic concentrations of aerosols from real-world environments could be reproduced in a well-controlled manner and that this set-up could be used both for aerosol characterization and for human exposures. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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