Respiratory Exposures from Microwave Popcorn Packaging

Details

• Personal Author:
  Boylstein, Randy J. ; Hubbs A ; Jones, William G. ; Keiss K ; Kullman, Greg J. ; Pendergrass S ; Piacitelli, Chris A.
• Description:
  In May 2000, eight former workers at a plant that mixes and packages microwave popcorn were reported to have bronchiolitis obliterans, a severe lung disease characterized by fixed airflow obstruction; four of these workers were placed on a lung transplant list. At the request of the Missouri Department of Health, NIOSH staff investigated exposures and respiratory health outcomes at the plant. Subsequent clinical study indicated that current plant employees have 3.3 times the rate of obstructive spirometry abnormalities compared to national adjusted rates and never smokers had 10.8 times the national expected rate. NIOSH initiated industrial hygiene study at this plant in August of 2000. Sampling was con- ducted for a number of analytes including airborne total and respirable dusts, particle size distributions, volatile organic compounds, ketones, acetylaldehyde, acetic acid, and micro-biological contaminants in bulk materials. Respirator training and fit testing were provided for workers in the ingredients mixing where the highest exposures were found; engineering control recommendations were also provided. Animal exposure studies were begun at NIOSH using flavoring agents from this plant. Qualitative sampling for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air detected over 100 different compounds; the predominant VOCs identified included the ketones diacetyl, acetoin, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), and 2- nonanone. Diacetyl was predominant and concentrations ranged from below detectable limits to 98 parts per million (ppm), with a mean of 8.1 ppm (Sm 19 ppm). The average ketone concentrations were highest in the microwave mixing room with a mean diacetyl concentration of 38 ppm (STD 28 ppm). Strong exposure-response relationships existed between quartile of estimated cumulative exposures to diacetyl and respirable dust and frequency and degree of airway obstruction. Longitudinal medical and environmental study are ongoing at this plant to ensure that exposure control steps are effective. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Movements Butanones Dust Lung Diseases Occupational Health Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  Air-flow Clinical-tests Exposure-levels Industrial-hygiene Ketones Lung-disease Organic-compounds Qualitative-analysis Respirable-dust Respiratory-system-disorders Sampling Workers

  More +
• Publisher:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  California ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 9 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies ; DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology ; HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  62
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20022454
• Citation:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, June 1-6, 2002, San Diego, California. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2002 Jun; :62
• CAS Registry Number:
  Butanedione (CAS RN 431-03-8) ; Methyl ethyl ketone (CAS RN 78-93-3)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2002
• NORA Priority Area:
  Disease and Injury: Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, June 1-6, 2002, San Diego, California
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d061cb6394c8916e60fcbd3767286ead657ca3f45a951fce67fc7179e65dce31d4af93b10d7244b0402c94c04413afc4e9e13c74e8d507ddf5604b270383879f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/199225/cdc_199225_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 491.80 KB ]