Carbon Nanotube and Nanofiber Exposure and Blood and Sputum Biomarkers of Effect Among U.S. Workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Beard JD ; Bertke SJ ; Birch, M. Eileen ; Dahm, Matthew M. ; De Perio, Marie A. ; Erdely A ; Evans DE ; Fernback, Joseph E. ; Mercer RR ; Schubauer-Berigan, Mary K.
• Description:
  Purpose: Carbon nanotubes and nanofibers (CNT/F) are increasing in use and applications. Although animal toxicological studies provide evidence that CNT/F exposure may cause deleterious health effects, human epidemiological studies have typically been small and confined to single workplaces. Therefore, we conducted an industrywide cross-sectional epidemiological study of 108 workers from 12 U.S. sites to evaluate associations between occupational exposure to CNT/F and blood and sputum biomarkers of effect. Methods: We assessed CNT/F exposure via personal breathing zone, filter-based air sampling to measure background-corrected elemental carbon (a marker for CNT/F) mass concentrations, and microscopy-based CNT/F structure count concentrations. We measured 37 blood and 36 sputum biomarkers of fibrosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular effects. We collected information on potential confounders via standardized in-person interviews. We used factor analyses with varimax rotation to derive factors among blood and sputum biomarkers separately. We used linear, Tobit, and logistic regression models to adjust for potential confounders and evaluate associations between CNT/F exposure and individual biomarkers and the derived factors. Results: After exclusions for values below detection limits, 27 blood and 16 sputum biomarkers were included in the factor analyses, and 29 blood and 32 sputum biomarkers were included in the regression analyses. We derived nine blood biomarker and three sputum biomarker factors that explained 67% and 78%, respectively, of the variation in the data. After adjusting for potential confounders, CNT/F exposure was inversely associated with two blood factors (fibrinogen and von Willebrand Factor positively loaded on one factor and interleukin-1β and superoxide dismutase positively loaded on the other) and no sputum factors. Associations between CNT/F exposure and individual biomarkers varied. Conclusions: Occupational CNT/F exposure was inversely associated with some blood factors derived from early biomarkers of effect. These results need replication among other exposed populations, but could have implications for clotting and inflammatory pathways. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biomarkers Cardiovascular Diseases Cardiovascular System Lung Lung Diseases Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  Carbon Nanotubes Cardiovascular Function Cardiovascular System Disease Cardiovascular System Disorders Lung Fibrosis Nanofibers Nanotechnology
• ISSN:
  1047-2797
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies ; HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division ; DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  27
• Issue:
  8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20050631
• Citation:
  Ann Epidemiol 2017 Aug; 27(8):529
• Contact Point Address:
  John D. Beard, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
• CAS Registry Number:
  Carbon nanotubes (CAS RN 308068-56-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Annals of Epidemiology
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2a3079abdcee1716f8a6f1bb0a6af659e0c637b87374e94edb40a83868a42b4e659a55a5918be77627f56c41ff59f4ef14c7ca3ac37a53faafb0a5c494dd4187
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/210900/cdc_210900_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 108.83 KB ]