Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique

Introduction Nanoscale particles (NPs) are sized between 1 and 100nm. Based on experimental animal studies on NPs and epidemiological studies on air pollution particles, maternal inhalation of NPs may constitute a hazard to fetal development. It is plausible that NPs may translocate from the respiratory tract to the placenta and fetus, but also adverse effects may occur following a maternal systemic inflammatory response. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal occupational exposure to unintentional nanoscale particles (UNP) during pregnancy and small for gestational age (SGA) within the ELFE cohort. Methods Analyzes were based on data from ELFE cohort that included 18,329 infants born at 33 weeks of amenorrhea or more in France in 2011. Sociodemographic characteristics, detailed information on jobs held by mothers during pregnancy, lifestyle and clinical data were collected through a standardized questionnaire administered at birth. Medical files were consulted to supplement relevant maternal and newborn medical information. Mothers who did not work during pregnancy were excluded from analyses. Maternal occupational exposure to UNP was characterized with a job-exposure matrix by frequency and probability of exposure. Mothers who, during pregnancy, held jobs with a probability of exposure greater than 50% were considered to be exposed. Odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidents intervals (CI) were estimated from logistic regression models adjusted for smoking, marital status, maternal education, monthly household income, high blood pressure during pregnancy, gestational diabetes and alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Results The study sample included 11,224 mother-child pairs. Among mothers who worked during pregnancy, 5.07% were exposed to UNP. Maternal occupational exposure to UNP was significantly associated with SGA (OR=1.63, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.18) in adjusted analyzes. In a sub-analysis conducted in exposed mothers group (n=569), the total duration of work during pregnancy weighted by the frequency of exposure was not associated with SGA (OR=1.02, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.08) in adjusted analyzes. Conclusion This is the first epidemiological study showing a significant association between maternal occupational exposure to UNP and SGA. These results are consistent with those of the toxicological studies that demonstrated the toxicity of NPs on pregnancy. This preliminary research needs to be deepened by further epidemiological studies

Relationship between Occupational Exposure to Airborne Nanoparticles, Nanoparticle Lung Burden and Lung Diseases

The biomonitoring of nanoparticles in patients’ broncho-alveolar lavages (BAL) could allow getting insights into the role of inhaled biopersistent nanoparticles in the etiology/development of some respiratory diseases. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between the biomonitoring of nanoparticles in BAL, interstitial lung diseases and occupational exposure to these particles released unintentionally. We analyzed data from a cohort of 100 patients suffering from lung diseases (NanoPI clinical trial, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02549248) and observed that most of the patients showed a high probability of exposure to airborne unintentionally released nanoparticles (>50%), suggesting a potential role of inhaled nanoparticles in lung physiopathology. Depending on the respiratory disease, the amount of patients likely exposed to unintentionally released nanoparticles was variable (e.g., from 88% for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis to 54% for sarcoidosis). These findings are consistent with the previously performed mineralogical analyses of BAL samples that suggested (i) a role of titanium nanoparticles in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and (ii) a contribution of silica submicron particles to sarcoidosis. Further investigations are necessary to draw firm conclusions but these first results strengthen the array of presumptions on the contribution of some inhaled particles (from nano to submicron size) to some idiopathic lung diseases

Sci Total Environ

Ultrafine particles (< 100 nm) are of increasing concern because of their toxicological potential. Emission processes suggest their presence in all environments, including at home, where particularly at-risk populations may be exposed. However, knowledge of their impact on health is still limited, due to difficulties in properly assessing exposure in epidemiological studies. In this context, the objective of this study was to provide a complete summary of indoor exposure to ultrafine particles in highly industrialised countries by examining the domestic activities that influence such exposure. We conducted a systematic review, according to PRISMA guidelines using PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus up to and including 2021. We carried out a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the selected studies with a standardised template. Exposure circumstances, measurement methods, and results were analysed. Finally, a meta-analysis of the measured concentrations was performed to study exposure levels during domestic activities. The review included 69 studies resulting in the analysis of 346 exposure situations. Nine main groups of activities were identified: cooking, which was the most studied, smoking, the use of air-fresheners, cleaning, heating, personal care, printing, do-it-yourself activities, and others. Over 50 different processes were involved in these activities. Based on available particle number concentrations, the highest average of mean concentrations was associated with grilling (14,400 × 10 cm), and the lowest with wood stove (18 × 10 cm). The highest average of peak concentrations was that for the use of hair dryers (695 × 10 cm), and the lowest for the use of air cleaners (11 × 10 cm). A hierarchy of domestic activities and related processes leading to ultrafine particle exposure is provided, along with average exposure concentrations at home. However, more extensive measurement campaigns are needed under real-life conditions to improve assessments of indoor exposure to ultrafine particles

Appl Ergon

Despite recent concerns for workers’ health, exposure situations to nanoparticles can occur in numerous workplaces. Understanding how exposures occur considering human work in these transformations remains a crucial issue of nanotechnologies. The objective of this article is to understand exposure situations to nanoparticles, their determinants and the resources to act on them. This understanding was achieved by specific measurement of nanoparticles aerosols, combined with an analysis of work activity (actions performed and physical strain) in a rubber industry. The presentation of real time measurements, associated with the video of work situations, during confrontation interviews becomes a means of making exposing work activities visible, to analyze and transform them from the points of view formulated by the company's stakeholders. In this way, characterized “typical exposure situations” serve to trigger discussions and open up new spaces for debate highlighting how innovation affects work and gives rise to enhanced prevention projects

Environ Int

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between maternal occupational exposures to nanoscale particles (NPs) during pregnancy and small for gestational age (SGA). METHODS: This study included 11,224 mothers and singleton birth pairs from the French Longitudinal Study of Children (ELFE cohort), which included infants born after 33weeks of gestation or more in continental France in 2011. Mothers who did not work during pregnancy were excluded from the analyses. Maternal occupational exposures to NPs was estimated using a job-exposure matrix for the probability (>50%: occupationally exposed group, n=569; 0%: occupationally non-exposed group, n=9113; between these two thresholds: uncertain group, n=1542) and frequency of exposure. Associations were estimated from multivariate logistic regression models for occupationally exposed vs occupationally unexposed groups in a first analysis, and with the frequency-weighted duration of work for the occupationally exposed group only in a second analysis. RESULTS: Among working mothers, 5.1% were occupationally exposed to NPs. Maternal occupational exposures to NPs was associated with SGA (ORa=1.63, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.18). The frequency-weighted duration of work for the occupationally exposed group (n=569) was not associated with SGA (ORa=1.02, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.08) in adjusted analyses. CONCLUSIONS: These results, showing a significant association between occupational exposures to NPs and SGA, should encourage further studies to examine the adverse effect of NPs exposure on fetal development

Maternal occupational exposure to carbonaceous nanoscale particles and small for gestational age and the evolution of head circumference in the French Longitudinal Study of Children - Elfe study

International audienceObjectives: To investigate the association between exposure to unintentionally emitted carbonaceous nanoscale particles (NPs) and small for gestational age (SGA), as well as head circumference (HC) at birth and at two years of age.Methods: Mothers from the French Longitudinal Study of Children (Elfe cohort) who worked during pregnancy were selected for our study. Data collected at birth and during follow-up (up to two years) were used. The probability and frequency of maternal occupational exposure to unintentionally emitted carbonaceous NPs was estimated using a job exposure matrix (MatPUF). Multivariate logistic regression, linear regression, and mixed models were applied to estimate any associations. Analyses were carried out depending on whether mothers stopped working during the first, second, or third trimester of pregnancy.Results: Maternal occupational exposure to unintentionally emitted carbonaceous NPs was associated with SGA in the overall study population by multivariate analysis (ORa = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.29, 2.46), as well as in sub-groups of mothers who stopped working during the second (ORa = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.13, 3.02) or third (ORa = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.95) trimesters. There were no significant associations with HC at birth or two years of age.Conclusions: We found a significant association between occupational exposure to carbonaceous NPs and SGA, with the effect depending on the period of exposure during pregnancy. These results should encourage further studies concerning the adverse effects of exposure to carbonaceous NPs on the development of offspring

Estimation de parts de cancers attribuables à certaines expositions professionnelles en France - Utilisation des matrices emplois-expositions développées dans le cadre du programme Matgéné

34e Congrès National de Médecine et Santé au Travail, PARIS, FRANCE, 21-/06/2016 - 24/06/2016Le poids des pathologies d'origine professionnelle, pour la plupart non-spécifiques, est important en France et pourtant, on ne dispose que de peu de travaux français récents permettant de l'objectiver quantitativement. C'est dans ce contexte que des outils spécifiques à la situation française ont été développés, au travers du programme Matgéné, afin d'évaluer les expositions professionnelles aux cancérogènes et l'impact de ces dernières sur la santé de la population. Objectifs La présente étude illustre l'utilisation de ces outils pour quantifier, selon deux scénarii, la part de certains cancers attribuable à une exposition professionnelle à quatre cancérogènes classés groupe 1 par le Circ : l'amiante, la silice, le benzène et le trichloréthylène. Ce travail donne également une estimation du taux de réparation en maladie professionnelle. Méthodes La part attribuable a été calculée à partir de la formule de Levin. Les risques relatifs sont issus de la littérature scientifique nationale et internationale et la prévalence de l'exposition sur l'ensemble de la vie professionnelle est estimée à partir du croisement des matrices emplois-expositions et d'un échantillon d'histoires professionnelles représentatif de la population française. Le nombre de cas attribuable a été calculé pour chacune des pathologies et comparé au nombre de cas de reconnaissance en maladie professionnelle lorsque cela était possible. Résultats Les résultats obtenus pour chacune des 4 nuisances seront présentés. Pour exemple, au total, le nombre de cas (mésothéliome pleural, cancer du poumon, larynx et ovaire) attribuable à une exposition professionnelle à l'amiante est estimé, en 2012, entre 2439 et 6184 chez les hommes et entre 250 et 437 chez les femmes; ainsi, 7,7 % à 19,4 % des cas de ces cancers seraient attribuables à une exposition professionnelle à l'amiante chez les hommes et 1,5 % à 2,6 % chez les femmes. Par ailleurs, on note une sous-réparation : - notable pour les pathologies pour lesquelles un tableau de maladie professionnelle existe (i.e. cancer du poumon en lien avec une exposition à la silice) ; - totale pour les pathologies pour lesquelles il n'existe pas de tableau à ce jour, et ce, alors même que le lien avec une exposition professionnelle est avéré (i.e. cancer du larynx et exposition à l'amiante). Conclusion Nonobstant les limites méthodologiques inhérentes à cet exercice, ces estimations sont importantes pour améliorer les connaissances en santé travail et en santé publique. Elles confirment le poids considérable des expositions professionnelles dans la survenue de certains cancers dans la population française et par là même l'importance de la sous-réparation des pathologies qui leur sont attribuables

EXPROPNANO : Towards a better assessment of occupational exposure to airborne NP by integrating work task analysis and exposure measurement

There are numerous industry sectors and processes where worker exposures to nanoscale particles (NP), either unintentionally emitted or manufactured, have the potential to be significant if organisational and control measures and personal protective equipment are not properly defined, usable or used. However, too little exposure data are available today for meta-analysis for risk assessment or epidemiology. One reason for this observation is probably the lack of a harmonized and consistent approach to assess worker exposure. In this work, we propose a multi-tiered approach that integrates aerosol measurement and work task analysis. This multi-disciplinary approach aims to enhance exposure assessment and understand more precisely determinants of exposure. Illustrated in the Figure 1, this approach combines (i) information gathering; (ii) real time aerosol measurements and aerosol sampling (e.g. for electron microscopy analysis); (iii) contextual and observational information; (iiii) video exposure monitoring; (iiiii) interviews with stakeholders and construction of suitable safety measures. In the context of the development of the method, the proposed approach will now be tested in a variety of work environments, including research laboratories (involving manufactured NP) and facilities in aeronautic (additive manufacturing, machining, surface treatment and maintenance) and rubber sectors (mixture of fillers)

Expropnano project : occupational exposure assessment to nanoscale particles through measurement and work task analysis in french and canadian industries

Toxicological studies have shown potential health effects related to nanoscale particles (NP). These particles could be emitted unintentionally from usual work-processes (“ultrafine particles”) or produced intentionally for commercial purpose (“manufactured NP”) at workplace. Thus, associated exposure might concerned many workers. However, in the absence of NP strategy measurement consensus, occupational exposure is poorly monitored. In this context, the ExproPNano project aims at make operational existing NP exposure assessment recommendations, combine them with work activity analysis and test the developed strategy in French and Canadian industries involving both unintentional and manufactured NP. The first year, in 2015, was dedicated to the implementation of the project (method, team training, equipment and industries selection) with partner institutions (INRS, INERIS, LEPI, InVS, Aquitaine CARSAT, and University of Montreal – DSEST). Campaigns in different industries (aeronautics, rubber and composite, construction, mines…) will be conducted in 2016–2017 following two main steps: (1) pre-visit: prevention system analysis, process understanding, interviews and preliminary measures; (2) NP measurement and work observation: video recording synchronised with real-time measures and air sampling for physic-chemical characterisation; (3) results analysis and presentation in companies. Work task analysis combined with NP measurement must ensure a better understanding of the NP exposure determinants and result in recommendations of adapted prevention which may be extended to various workplaces. The tested exposure assessment method must be operational and thus easily used by all actors involved in unintentional and manufactured NP risk management. Therefore, relevant NP occupational exposure data could be produced, recording them in specific database such as Evalutil or NECID-PEROSH, it will contribute to knowledge improvement of NP exposure levels and associated health effects by public health professionals such as epidemiologists