Exposure to Organic Solvents and Biological Monitoring of Construction Painters in Thailand

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Construction industry painters are potentially exposed to organic solvents present in the paint products used. However, levels of exposure are poorly characterized, particularly in low- and medium-income countries. The main objectives of this study were to assess the association between environmental exposure to organic solvents toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene and their urinary metabolite among construction painters in Thailand using mainly water-based paints (WBP), and also to evaluate their knowledge and behaviours in relation to safe use of paints. METHODS: 97 Construction painters were recruited from sixteen companies in south Thailand. 73 samples were collected in the rainy season and 56 samples in the dry season. Of the 97 total participants, 32 took part in both rainy and dry seasons, 24 took part in the dry season only, and 41 took part in the rainy season only. Participating painters completed a questionnaire, collecting information on demographics, working practices, behaviours and health risk knowledge of working with solvents. Measurement of environmental climate conditions (air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed) were performed in their workplaces. Full-shift personal exposure measurements were carried out and samples were analysed for seven organic solvents according to NIOSH recommended methods. Construction painters also provided two urine samples (pre- and post-shift) on the same day as the personal exposure measurement, which were analysed for urinary metabolites of the organic solvents: hippuric acid (HA), methyl hippuric acid (MHA), and total of mandelic acid (MA) and phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA) according to NIOSH method 8301. RESULTS: 129 personal air samples and 258 urine samples (129 pre- and 129 post-shift samples) were collected. The exposure levels were generally very low; the geometric mean (GM) for airborne levels were 0.36 mg/m3 for toluene, 0.03 mg/m3 for xylene, 0.02 mg/m3 for ethylbenzene, 0.01 mg/m3 for ethyl acetate, 0.01 mg/m3 for butyl acetate, and

Date of Award	24 Jan 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Andrew Povey (Supervisor), Martie Van Tongeren (Supervisor) & Anne Clayson (Supervisor)