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Exposure, respiratory symptoms, lung function and inflammation response of road-paving asphalt workers

Xu, Yiyi LU ; Kåredal, Monica LU orcid ; Nielsen, Jörn LU ; Adlercreutz, Mariana ; Bergendorf, Ulf LU ; Strandberg, Bo LU ; Antonsson, Ann Beth ; Tinnerberg, Håkan LU and Albin, Maria LU (2018) In Occupational and environmental medicine 75(7). p.494-500
Abstract

Background: Controversy exists as to the health effects of exposure to asphalt and crumb rubber modified (CRM) asphalt, which contains recycled rubber tyres. Objective: To assess exposures and effects on airway symptoms, lung function and inflammation biomarkers in conventional and CRM asphalt road pavers. Methods: 116 conventional asphalt workers, 51 CRM asphalt workers and 100 controls were investigated. A repeated-measures analysis included 31 workers paving with both types of asphalt. Exposure to dust, nitrosamines, benzothiazole and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) was measured in worksites. Self-reported symptoms, spirometry test and blood sampling were conducted prework and postwork. Symptoms were further collected during... (More)

Background: Controversy exists as to the health effects of exposure to asphalt and crumb rubber modified (CRM) asphalt, which contains recycled rubber tyres. Objective: To assess exposures and effects on airway symptoms, lung function and inflammation biomarkers in conventional and CRM asphalt road pavers. Methods: 116 conventional asphalt workers, 51 CRM asphalt workers and 100 controls were investigated. A repeated-measures analysis included 31 workers paving with both types of asphalt. Exposure to dust, nitrosamines, benzothiazole and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) was measured in worksites. Self-reported symptoms, spirometry test and blood sampling were conducted prework and postwork. Symptoms were further collected during off-season for asphalt paving. Results: Dust, PAHs and nitrosamine exposure was highly varied, without difference between conventional and CRM asphalt workers. Benzothiazole was higher in CRM asphalt workers (p<0.001). Higher proportions of asphalt workers than controls reported eye symptoms with onset in the current job. Decreased lung function from preworking to postworking was found in CRM asphalt workers and controls. Preworking interleukin-8 was higher in CRM asphalt workers than in the controls, followed by a decrement after 4 days of working. No differences in any studied effects were found between conventional and CRM asphalt paving. Conclusion: CRM asphalt workers are exposed to higher benzothiazole. Further studies are needed to identify the source of nitrosamines in conventional asphalt. Mild decrease in lung function in CRM asphalt workers and work-related eye symptoms in both asphalt workers were observed. However, our study did not find strong evidence for severe respiratory symptoms and inflammation response among asphalt workers.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
asphalt, C-reactive protein, interleukin, lung function test, occupational exposure, respiratory symptoms, rubber asphalt
in
Occupational and environmental medicine
volume
75
issue
7
pages
494 - 500
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85047986523
  • pmid:29848553
ISSN
1351-0711
DOI
10.1136/oemed-2017-104983
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
75590935-5f69-4327-8fbf-6b315297c939
date added to LUP
2018-06-12 14:46:52
date last changed
2024-03-18 10:41:34
@article{75590935-5f69-4327-8fbf-6b315297c939,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Controversy exists as to the health effects of exposure to asphalt and crumb rubber modified (CRM) asphalt, which contains recycled rubber tyres. Objective: To assess exposures and effects on airway symptoms, lung function and inflammation biomarkers in conventional and CRM asphalt road pavers. Methods: 116 conventional asphalt workers, 51 CRM asphalt workers and 100 controls were investigated. A repeated-measures analysis included 31 workers paving with both types of asphalt. Exposure to dust, nitrosamines, benzothiazole and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) was measured in worksites. Self-reported symptoms, spirometry test and blood sampling were conducted prework and postwork. Symptoms were further collected during off-season for asphalt paving. Results: Dust, PAHs and nitrosamine exposure was highly varied, without difference between conventional and CRM asphalt workers. Benzothiazole was higher in CRM asphalt workers (p&lt;0.001). Higher proportions of asphalt workers than controls reported eye symptoms with onset in the current job. Decreased lung function from preworking to postworking was found in CRM asphalt workers and controls. Preworking interleukin-8 was higher in CRM asphalt workers than in the controls, followed by a decrement after 4 days of working. No differences in any studied effects were found between conventional and CRM asphalt paving. Conclusion: CRM asphalt workers are exposed to higher benzothiazole. Further studies are needed to identify the source of nitrosamines in conventional asphalt. Mild decrease in lung function in CRM asphalt workers and work-related eye symptoms in both asphalt workers were observed. However, our study did not find strong evidence for severe respiratory symptoms and inflammation response among asphalt workers.</p>}},
  author       = {{Xu, Yiyi and Kåredal, Monica and Nielsen, Jörn and Adlercreutz, Mariana and Bergendorf, Ulf and Strandberg, Bo and Antonsson, Ann Beth and Tinnerberg, Håkan and Albin, Maria}},
  issn         = {{1351-0711}},
  keywords     = {{asphalt; C-reactive protein; interleukin; lung function test; occupational exposure; respiratory symptoms; rubber asphalt}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{494--500}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Occupational and environmental medicine}},
  title        = {{Exposure, respiratory symptoms, lung function and inflammation response of road-paving asphalt workers}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2017-104983}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/oemed-2017-104983}},
  volume       = {{75}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}