Epidemiology: the exposure-health interface

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brenner S ; Schubauer-Berigan, Mary K.
• Description:
  This session featured researchers conducting state-of-the-science studies of exposure and associated measures or indicators of possible early health effects among workers and others exposed to engineered nanomaterials. The goal of this session was to raise awareness among other disciplines of the importance of incorporating appropriate physical, chemical, and route-of-exposure metrics to studies of health effects in those exposed to engineered nanomaterials, and to identify research needed to correlate exposure data and health effects. Epidemiology for nanomaterials is challenging. The population of nanotechnology workers is relatively small, and the amounts of engineered nanomaterials handled on a daily basis per worker are also small and difficult to measure. To perform an epidemiological study that can link an ENM to disease, epidemiologists must first verify that exposure is likely. They then will use the degree of hazard indicated by toxicology to prioritize which materials to investigate with cohort and cross-sectional studies. Many candidate ENMs are chosen for study by analogy, based on the wealth of information that already exists on the links between respirable pollutants (e.g., carbon, asbestos) and health effects such as pulmonary fibrosis and cancer. Some important characteristics in this regard are particle shape (which is difficult to quantify in a standardized way) and mass (simply because most toxicology data are derived from mass-based air concentrations). Relevant in vivo data for long-term exposure to skin remains sparse, while inhalation exposure studies are moving from acute, high-dose to subchronic, lower-dose studies that are more reflective of real-world exposure scenarios. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Chemistry Epidemiology Hazardous Substances Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Particulate Matter Safety
• Keywords:
  Chemical Hazards Chemical Properties Cross Sectional Studies Exposure Assessment Exposure Methods Health Effects Industrial Engineering Nanomaterials Nanotechnology Occupational Hazards Particle Size Physical Properties Physiological Effects Toxic Materials

  More +
• Publisher:
  National Nanotechnology Coordination Office
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  51-53
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20047920
• Citation:
  Quantifying Exposure to Engineered Nanomaterials (QEEN) from Manufactured Products: Addressing Environmental, Health, and Safety Implications, Workshop Proceedings, July 7-8, 2015, Arlington, Virginia. Arlington, VA: National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, 2016 Mar; :51-53
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Quantifying Exposure to Engineered Nanomaterials (QEEN) from Manufactured Products Addressing Environmental, Health, and Safety Implications, Workshop Proceedings, July 7-8, 2015, Arlington, Virginia
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:adcd9f4f974dcd50643c6e22dd6f6dc0298b2abe2d7637b139658b33b64c3e7f5f1718ef5463ecd1860ac3944945211cd680f511f4c2b2b40d1ad7a95806799a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/202858/cdc_202858_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.69 MB ]