Chang-Chuan Chan1, Ruei-Hao Shie, Ta-Yuan Chang, Dai-Hua Tsai. 1. Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Rm. 1447, No. 1, Sec. 1, Jen-ai Rd., Taipei, Taiwan. ccchan@ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to comprehensively evaluate workers' potential health risks of exposure to 39 air toxics in the Ta-sher Petrochemical Complex. METHODS: Open-Path Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (OP-FTIR) was used to measure concentrations of air toxics. We used the measured worksite concentrations between 1997 and 1999 at 11 companies in the petrochemical complex, employing 3,100 on-site workers. The 39 measured air toxics included 10 chemicals with acute reference exposure levels (RELa), 19 chemicals with chronic reference exposure levels (RELc), and 3 chemicals classified as Class 1 or 2A human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). We then used RELa to calculate the hazard index of acute health effects (HI ( A )) for workers in individual plants. We also calculated the hazard index of chronic health effects (HIc) and cancer risks for all workers in the entire petrochemical complex. RESULTS: Workers in five companies had HI ( A ) greater than 1 because of toluene, benzene, methyl ethyl ketone, chloroform and isopropanol exposures. Workers in this petrochemical complex had HIc greater than 1 because of acrylonitrile, 1,3-butadiene, hydrogen cyanide, and n,n-dimethylformamide exposures. Risk of hematopoietic system cancer because of benzene and ethylene oxide exposure, and respiratory system cancer because of 1,3-butadiene exposure was estimated to be 3.1-6.1 x 10(-4) and 5.2-7.1 x 10(-4), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicated that workers in the petrochemical complex might have excess cancer and noncancer risks due to acute or chronic exposures to air toxics from multiple emission sources.
OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to comprehensively evaluate workers' potential health risks of exposure to 39 air toxics in the Ta-sher Petrochemical Complex. METHODS: Open-Path Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (OP-FTIR) was used to measure concentrations of air toxics. We used the measured worksite concentrations between 1997 and 1999 at 11 companies in the petrochemical complex, employing 3,100 on-site workers. The 39 measured air toxics included 10 chemicals with acute reference exposure levels (RELa), 19 chemicals with chronic reference exposure levels (RELc), and 3 chemicals classified as Class 1 or 2A human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). We then used RELa to calculate the hazard index of acute health effects (HI ( A )) for workers in individual plants. We also calculated the hazard index of chronic health effects (HIc) and cancer risks for all workers in the entire petrochemical complex. RESULTS: Workers in five companies had HI ( A ) greater than 1 because of toluene, benzene, methyl ethyl ketone, chloroform and isopropanol exposures. Workers in this petrochemical complex had HIc greater than 1 because of acrylonitrile, 1,3-butadiene, hydrogen cyanide, and n,n-dimethylformamide exposures. Risk of hematopoietic system cancer because of benzene and ethylene oxide exposure, and respiratory system cancer because of 1,3-butadiene exposure was estimated to be 3.1-6.1 x 10(-4) and 5.2-7.1 x 10(-4), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicated that workers in the petrochemical complex might have excess cancer and noncancer risks due to acute or chronic exposures to air toxics from multiple emission sources.
Authors: X Xu; S I Cho; M Sammel; L You; S Cui; Y Huang; G Ma; C Padungtod; L Pothier; T Niu; D Christiani; T Smith; L Ryan; L Wang Journal: Occup Environ Med Date: 1998-01 Impact factor: 4.402
Authors: Perrine Hoet; Erika De Smedt; Massimo Ferrari; Marcello Imbriani; Luciano Maestri; Sara Negri; Peter De Wilde; Dominique Lison; Vincent Haufroid Journal: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Date: 2008-11-14 Impact factor: 3.015