Occupational exposure of cashiers to Bisphenol A via thermal paper: urinary biomonitoring study

International audiencePurpose: As an essential component of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in numerous industrial and consumer products. BPA may cause adverse health effects because of its endocrine activity. General population exposure to this compound mainly through diet is well documented. Thermal paper was also identified as a source of BPA through dermal intake. In this study, we investigated whether frequent contact with thermal paper is associated with an increase in urinary BPA excretion.Methods: We evaluated the exposure to BPA in cashiers and in non-occupationally exposed workers from several workplaces. Urinary BPA was quantified in free (unconjugated) and total (unconjugated plus conjugated) forms in 24-h and spot urine samples using LC–MS/MS. BPA concentration in thermal paper was also measured from each workplace. In addition, participants provided information on job, food and drink, tobacco consumption and hands wash during the sampling period through a questionnaire.Results: Urine samples were collected from 90 cashiers and 44 controls. Free and total BPA were detected in all samples. The median urinary total BPA concentration was 3.54 µg/L (2.89 µg/g creatinine) for controls and 8.92 µg/L (6.76 µg/g creatinine) for cashiers. For the free BPA, the median urinary concentration was 0.20 µg/L (0.21 µg/g creatinine) for controls and 0.28 µg/L (0.22 µg/g creatinine) for cashiers. Any correlation was found between the urinary concentration levels and the number of thermal receipts handled. Hand washes frequency, age, job length of service and tobacco consumption had also no effect on the BPA excretions.Conclusion:A significant increase in urinary total BPA concentration was observed for cashiers handling daily thermal paper receipts. However, no significant increase was observed in urinary free BPA concentration. These findings are particularly interesting for risk assessment since all available data on occupational exposure to BPA through thermal paper were obtained from models or from simulated experiments

Mycotoxins Exposure of French Grain Elevator Workers: Biomonitoring and Airborne Measurements

It is now recognized that additional exposure to mycotoxins may occur through inhalation of contaminated dust at a workplace. The aim of this study was to characterize the multi-mycotoxin exposure of French grain elevator workers using biomonitoring and airborne measurements. Eighteen workers participated in the study. Personal airborne dust samples were analyzed for their mycotoxin concentrations. Workers provided multiple urine samples including pre-shift, post-shift and first morning urine samples or 24 h urine samples. Mycotoxin urinary biomarkers (aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin M1, ochratoxin A, ochratoxin α, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, fumonisin B1, HT-2 toxin and T-2 toxin) were measured using a liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry method. Grain elevator workers were highly exposed to organic airborne dust (median 4.92 mg.m−3). DON, ZEN and FB1 were frequent contaminants in 54, 76 and 72% of air samples, respectively. The mycotoxin biomarkers quantified were DON (98%), ZEN (99%), α-ZEL (52%), β-ZEL (33%), OTA (76%), T-2 (4%) and HT-2 (4%). DON elimination profiles showed highest concentrations in samples collected after the end of the work shift and the urinary DON concentrations were significantly higher in post-shift than in pre-shift-samples (9.9 and 22.1 µg/L, respectively). ZEN and its metabolites concentrations did not vary according to the sampling time. However, the levels of α-/β-ZEL were consistent with an additional occupational exposure. These data provide valuable information on grain worker exposure to mycotoxins. They also highlight the usefulness of multi-mycotoxin methods in assessing external and internal exposures, which shed light on the extent and pathways of exposure occurring in occupational settings

État des connaissances sur les effets sur la santé liés à la profession de personnels navigants et sur la qualité de l’air dans les cabines d’avion

Citation suggérée :Anses. (2023). État des connaissances sur les effets sur la santé liés à la profession de personnels navigants et sur la qualité de l’air dans les cabines d’avion. (saisine 2019-SA-0075). Maisons-Alfort : Anses, 357 p.Depuis plusieurs années, des personnels navigants rapportent des effets sur la santé qu’ilsassocient à des expositions à des odeurs inhabituelles / émanations ou des fumées dans lescabines ou cockpit d’avions. Ces effets, très variés et aspécifiques, ont été mentionnés dansplusieurs études et regroupés par certains auteurs sous le terme « syndrome aérotoxique ».Ils ont pu conduire, pour certains travailleurs, à la perte de leur aptitude médicale.Dans la grande majorité des avions, l’air alimentant la cabine étant en partie prélevé au niveaudes compresseurs des moteurs, ces odeurs inhabituelles ou fumées sont courammentattribuées à une potentielle contamination de l’air des cabines par des composés issus del’huile moteur ou de sa dégradation thermique, désignée dans la littérature par l’expression« fume event ».La qualité de l'air des cabines d'avion et les phénomènes de sa contamination font l'objet ainsid'une attention croissante de la part des personnels navigants et des autorités de l’aviationcivile.Des recommandations internationales sont également émises, notamment par l'organisationde l'aviation civile internationale (OACI), dans un contexte de prévention de la mise en périlde la sécurité aérienne, afin de prévenir les évènements de contamination et définir la conduiteà tenir lors de ces incidents