Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Laboratory of Toxicology and Industrial Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Apr 7;18(8):3851. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18083851.
Production and handling of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) can yield worker exposure to these materials with the potential for unforeseen negative health effects. Biomonitoring enables regular exposure and health assessment and an effective risk management. We aimed to identify factors influencing biomonitoring acceptance according to hierarchical positions of ENM producers. Managers and workers were invited to complete an online questionnaire. Forty-three companies producing or handling ENMs such as titanium dioxide (61%) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (44%) participated. The majority of managers (72%) and all workers responded positively to participating in biomonitoring studies. The main reasons for refusing participation included concerns about data confidentiality and sufficient knowledge about ENM health and safety. Acquisitions of individual study results, improvement of workers' safety, and help to the development of ENM-specific health and safety practice were among the most valuable reasons for positively considering participation. All workers indicated feeling comfortable with biomonitoring procedures of exhaled air sampling-about half were similarly comfortable with exhaled breath condensate, urine, and buccal cell sampling. The majority of both workers and managers stated that participation in a biomonitoring program should take place during working hours. Although our survey only had limited participation, our results are useful in designing appropriate biomonitoring programs for workers exposed to ENMs.
工程纳米材料（ENMs）的生产和处理可能会导致工人接触这些材料，从而产生无法预见的负面健康影响。生物监测可以进行定期暴露和健康评估，并进行有效的风险管理。我们旨在根据 ENM 生产者的层级职位确定影响生物监测接受度的因素。经理和工人被邀请填写在线问卷。共有 43 家生产或处理 ENMs 的公司参与，其中包括二氧化钛（61%）和多壁碳纳米管（44%）。大多数经理（72%）和所有工人都对参与生物监测研究持积极态度。拒绝参与的主要原因包括对数据保密性的担忧以及对 ENM 健康和安全的足够了解。获得个人研究结果、改善工人安全以及帮助制定特定于 ENM 的健康和安全实践是积极考虑参与的最有价值的原因之一。所有工人都表示对呼出气采样的生物监测程序感到舒适 - 大约一半的工人对呼出气冷凝物、尿液和口腔细胞采样同样感到舒适。大多数工人和经理表示，应该在工作时间内参与生物监测计划。尽管我们的调查参与度有限，但我们的结果对于设计接触 ENMs 的工人的适当生物监测计划非常有用。
