Study on the Health Effect of Respiratory System in Poly(Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) Plastic Injection-Molding Workers

• Main Authors: Shu-Fang Cheng, 鄭淑芳
• Other Authors: I-Fang Mao
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2004
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/13588919820283823565

博士 === 國立陽明大學 === 公共衛生研究所 === 92 === The plastics manufacturing industry is the fifth largest category in industrial estates in Taiwan. It is known that complex airborne compounds and pungent odours are emitted during plastic injection-molding processes. Workers exposed to acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) thermal decomposition products (TDP) may have olfactory loss, airway inflammation, and impairment of lung function. The study sample included 52 ABS plastic injection-molding workers (exposed group), as well as 72 workers from other departments (reference group). Gastec gas detection tubes of acrylonitrile, 1,3-butadiene, styrene, acrolein and formaldehyde were used to measure the levels in the ABS plastic injection-moulding area. Olfactory function test (including 1-butanol threshold test and odor identification test), exhaled nitric oxide, inflammation mediators (including urea, uric acid, albumin and eosinophil cationic protein) in nasal lavage and lung function test (including FVC, FEV1 and FEV1% ) were used to assess the impairment of respiratory system. The results showed that the levels of 1,3-butadiene, acrolein and formaldehyde were not detectable by the Gastec gas detection tubes used in the study. The average levels of acrylonitrile and styrene were respective 0.3+/-0.1 ppm and 2.8+/-0.3 ppm in ABS plastic injection-molding area. The detection limit of acrolein detection tube used in the study was higher than the occupational exposure standard, so we can’t tell if the level exceeded the standard. Acrylonitrile, 1,3-butadiene, styrene and formaldehyde in ABS plastic injection-molding area did not exceed the respective occupational exposure standard. The concentration of total dust was 0.162+/-0.011 mg/m3. Results of respiratory system assessment revealed that the average post-work composite scores of exposed group and reference group were respective 6.19+/-0.40 and 6.43+/-0.31. The exposed group had olfactory loss at the end-of-shift in terms of olfactory threshold scores (Student’s t test; p=0.0005), but not of odor identification scores. The average eNO level in exposed group and reference group were 13.0+/-3.2 ppb and 12.8+/-2.8 ppb, respectively. The urea, uric acid, albumin and eosinophil cationic protein median levels in nasal lavage were repective 0.43 umol/mL, 11.2 nmol/mL, 9.9 ug/mL and 2.20 ng/mL in exposed group. The median levels in nasal lavage were repective 0.38 umol/mL, 9.7 nmol/mL, 10.7 ug/mL and 2.18 ng/mL in reference group. There were no significant statistically difference in eNO and inflammation mediators levels of nasal lavage between the two groups (p＞0.05). The average post-work FVC, FEV1 and FEV1% were 4067+/-550 mL、3383+/-479 mL及83.3+/-5.8% in exposed group. The average post-work FVC, FEV1 and FEV1% were 4264+/-595 mL, 3542+/-462 mL and 83.2+/-5.0% in reference group. There were no significant statistically difference in lung function between the two groups (p＞0.05). Data from the study showed that the ABS plastic injection-molding workers had lower olfactiory function post-work. Fortunately, those workers had no obvious airway inflammation and impairment of lung function compared with the reference group(p＞0.05). But the health effect in the workers, e.g. the maintaining or conditioning workers, that may expose higher ABS-TDP levels were unkown.