Investigation of a group occupational acute dimethylacetamide poisoning incident
10.20001/j.issn.2095-2619.20240823
- VernacularTitle:一起群体性职业性急性二甲基乙酰胺中毒事件调查
- Author:
Jian HUANG
1
;
Xiaoyong LIU
;
Jintong HE
;
Jiaheng HE
;
Qifeng WU
;
Jiaxin JIANG
Author Information
1. Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510300, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Dimethylacetamide;
Acute poisoning;
Occupational poisoning;
Chemical poisoning;
Investigation and analysis
- From:
China Occupational Medicine
2024;51(4):476-480
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate and analyze a group occupational acute dimethylacetamide (DMA) poisoning incident occurred during the post-fire cleaning operation in a spandex manufacturing enterprise. Methods This study focused on the involved enterprise, employing units, poisoning patients, and workers with similar occupational exposure history from a group occupational acute chemical poisoning incident in Guangdong Province in 2023. Occupational health on-site investigation data, clinical records of poisoned patients, and occupational disease diagnostic data were collected to determine the cause of the poisoning. Results The incident occurred at a spandex manufacturing enterprise during the cleaning of polymerization reaction vessels after a fire, resulting in poisoning of six cleaning workers. The clinical symptoms of patients included varying degrees of liver function abnormalities and skin damage. All six patients wore long-tube air-supplied full-face masks during work. The patients were in a confined work space with poor ventilation, and worked more than 8 hours per day. Patients felt unwell after 5-13 days of work. Post-incident investigation revealed that the DMA exposure concentration of short term near the reaction vessels was 36.06 mg/m³. DMA accounted 13.74% to 30.09% of the volatile organic compounds in the raw and auxiliary materials and waste in the vessel. N-methylacetamide was detected in the urine of these six patients, with levels up to 1 639.78 mg/g creatinine, exceeding the occupational exposure limit (20.00 mg/g creatinine). All six patients were diagnosed as occupational acute DMA poisoning. Conclusion Occupational acute DMA poisoning mainly causes liver damage, has a latent onset, and poses a risk of group occurrence. The main causes of group poisoning are confined work space, inadequate management, insufficient protective measures, and excessive working hours.
