Division of Field Studies and Engineering, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Center of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Am J Ind Med. 2019 Oct;62(10):874-882. doi: 10.1002/ajim.23025. Epub 2019 Jul 23.
Cannabis has been legalized in some form for much of the United States. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) received a health hazard evaluation request from a Minnesota cannabis facility and their union to undertake an evaluation.
NIOSH representatives visited the facility in August 2016 and April 2017. Surface wipe samples were collected for analysis of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol acid (Δ9-THCA), cannabidiol, and cannabinol. Environmental air samples were collected for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), endotoxins (limulus amebocyte lysate assay), and fungal diversity (NIOSH two-stage BC251 bioaerosol sampler with internal transcribed spacer region sequencing analysis).
Surface wipe samples identified Δ9-THC throughout the facility. Diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione were measured in initial VOC screening and subsequent sampling during tasks where heat transference was greatest, though levels were well below the NIOSH recommended exposure limits. Endotoxin concentrations were highest during processing activities, while internal transcribed spacer region sequencing revealed that the Basidiomycota genus, Wallemia, had the highest relative abundance.
To the authors' knowledge, this is the first published report of potential diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione exposure in the cannabis industry, most notably during cannabis decarboxylation. Endotoxin exposure was elevated during grinding, indicating that this is a potentially high-risk task. The findings indicate that potential health hazards of significance are present during cannabis processing, and employers should be aware of potential exposures to VOCs, endotoxin, and fungi. Further research into the degree of respiratory and dermal hazards and resulting health effects in this industry is recommended.
美国许多地区已经以某种形式使大麻合法化。美国国家职业安全与健康研究所（NIOSH）收到明尼苏达州大麻工厂及其工会的健康危害评估请求，要求进行评估。
NIOSH 代表于 2016 年 8 月和 2017 年 4 月访问了该工厂。采集表面擦拭样本进行分析，以检测 δ-9 四氢大麻酚（Δ9-THC）、Δ-9 四氢大麻酸（Δ9-THCA）、大麻二酚和大麻酚。采集环境空气样本进行挥发性有机化合物（VOC）、内毒素（鲎变形细胞溶解物试验）和真菌多样性（NIOSH 两段式 BC251 生物气溶胶采样器与内部转录间隔区测序分析）的检测。
表面擦拭样本在整个设施中均检测到 Δ9-THC。在最初的 VOC 筛查和随后在热量转移最大的任务中进行采样时，测量到二乙酰和 2,3-戊二酮，但水平远低于 NIOSH 推荐的暴露限值。内毒素浓度在加工活动期间最高，而内部转录间隔区测序显示，担子菌门的 Wallemia 属具有最高的相对丰度。
据作者所知，这是首次在大麻行业报告潜在的二乙酰和 2,3-戊二酮暴露情况，尤其是在大麻脱羧过程中。在研磨过程中，内毒素暴露水平升高，表明这是一个潜在的高风险任务。研究结果表明，在大麻加工过程中存在显著的潜在健康危害，雇主应注意 VOC、内毒素和真菌的潜在暴露。建议进一步研究该行业呼吸和皮肤危害的程度以及由此产生的健康影响。
