Occupational Health Risk Assessment of Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene in Shanghai.

Tong Shuai Wang; Bo Song; Qing Hua Sun; Yong Xin Lin; Yuan Sun; Pin Sun; Xiao Dong Jia; William W AU; Can Hua Mei; Zhao Lin Xia

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Occupational Health Risk Assessment of Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene in Shanghai.

Author: Tong Shuai WANG ¹ ; Bo SONG ¹ ; Qing Hua SUN ¹ ; Yong Xin LIN ² ; Yuan SUN ³ ; Pin SUN ¹ ; Xiao Dong JIA ⁴ ; William W AU ⁵ ; Can Hua MEI ² ; Zhao Lin XIA ¹
Author Information

1. Department of Occupation Health and Toxicology, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200000, China.
2. Department of Occupation Health, Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai 200000, China.
3. Shanghai Institute of Occupational Disease for Chemical Industry (Shanghai Institute of Occupational Safety & Health), Shanghai 200000, China.
4. Division of Health Risk Factors Monitoring and Control, Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200000, China.
5. University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology, Targu Mures, Romania and Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515000, Guangdong, China.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Benzene; Comprehensive index method; Exposure level method; Occupational health risk assessment; Toluene; Xylene
MeSH: Air Pollutants, Occupational/analysis*; Benzene/analysis*; China; Humans; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects*; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Toluene/analysis*; Xylenes/analysis*
From: Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2021;34(4):290-298
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: Objective:This study was designed to conduct a retrospective and systematic occupational health risk assessment (OHRA) of enterprises that used benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) in Shanghai, China.
Methods:All data for the study were obtained from 1,705 occupational health examination and evaluation reports from 2013 to 2017, and a semiquantitative model following Chinese OHRA guidelines (GBZ/T 298-2017) was applied for the assessment.
Results:The selected enterprises using BTX were mainly involved in manufacturing of products. Using the exposure level method, health risk levels associated with exposure to BTX were classified as medium, negligible, or low. However, the risk levels associated with benzene and toluene were significantly different according to job types, with gluers and inkers exhibiting greater health risks. For the same job type, the health risk levels assessed using the comprehensive index method were higher than those using the exposure level method.
Conclusion:Our OHRA reveals that workers who are exposed to BTX still face excessive health risk. Additionally, the risk level varied depending on job categories and exposure to specific chemicals. Therefore, additional control measures recommended by OHRA guidelines are essential to reduce worker exposure levels.