Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Case Series for Occupational Dermatosis in a Factory Treating Liquid Waste Mixtures: Sue Kyung Park, Hyun Sul Lim; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2004;16(3):336-351. Published online September 30, 2004; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2004.16.3.336

Abstract PDF: OBJECTIVES
A dermatologic outbreak occurred in a factory usingliquid waste mixtures at Gyeongju. We conducted this study to identify causative factors.
METHODS
We conducted a questionnaire interview composed of general andjob characteristics. A dermatologist carried out medical examination, European standard patch test and 'as is' patch test. We evaluated the cases with over 5 criteria of Mathias's 7 definitions of occupational dermatologic diseases.
RESULTS
Seven of 9 workers were diagnosed with dermatosis and 3 subjects (cases 2, 4 and 6) with Mathias's 7 criteria were confirmed as having occupational dermatologic diseases and were diagnosed as irritant contact dermatitis. Two subjects (cases 1 and 9) with over 5 criteria were evaluated as suspicious status. The remaining 2 subjects (cases 3 and 5) were not compatible with those criteria. The main sources of this outbreak were suggested to be the wasted solvents in the factory of car accessories and aluminum products because the subjects (cases 2, 4, 6, 1 and 9) had the positive skin reaction against those sources in 'as is 'patch test. Furthermore, 4 of the 5 subjects cases 2, 4, 6 and 9) had some skin reactions against the waste solvents of chemical material in 'as is'patch test.
CONCLUSION
This outbreak occurred by direct skin contact of liquid waste mixtures of a factory making car accessories and aluminum products. The cutting oils and metal working fluids in those liquid waste mixtures were estimated as the most suspected materials. In addition, this outbreak may have been caused by the hazard effect of mixed waste organic solvents of manufacturing of chemical materials.

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Acquried Dyschromatopsia in Women Workers in Shoe Manufacturing Who were Exposed to Organic Solvents: Joo Hyun Byun, Kwang Young Lee, Young Kee Kim, Kwang Wook Ko, Yong Hwan Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2001;13(3):232-241. Published online September 30, 2001; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2001.13.3.232

OBJECTIVES
This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between color vision defects and occupational exposure to mixed organic solvents in women workers who were engaged in the shoe manufacturing industry.
METHODS
A total of 173 women workers were involved in this study, 85 of whom were exposed to mixed organic solvents and were defined as the exposed group, and 88 workers comprised the non-exposed control group. The patients were questioned as to their drinking history, the year in which they were exposed and whether they had eye symptoms of blurred vision, eye fatigue, and eye irritation. The exposed workers in the shoe manufacturing factory were engaged in 3 work areas which were pasting, trimming, and cleaning. Their Color vision was assessed using the Hahn's double 15 hue test under standard illumination and their current and cumulative exposure levels were measured.
RESULTS
The prevalence of color vision defect was 21.2% in the exposed group and 8.0% in the control group, and the blue-yellow defect was found to be 5.9 % in the exposed group. The logistic regression for the acquired dyschromatopsia and color confusion index showed that there were no variables that had significant relationships. Eye symptoms were more frequently developed in the exposed group.
CONCLUSIONS
There is a possibility of developing color vision defects when workers are exposed to mixed organic solvents. However, the results of the color confusion index showed that there was no significant relationship to the cumulative exposure level, because of the low exposure level and high occupational turn over rate of the workers. Because the workers in the present study were exposed to low level solvents it will be necessary to study workers exposed to higher levels of organic solvents.

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Association between Exposure to Organic Solvents and Symptom of Headache and Eyestrain among Laundry Workers: Analysis of the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey Data
Hyun-Sun Jeong, Kyoung-Mu Lee
Journal of Environmental Health Sciences.2023; 49(6): 372. CrossRef
Impaired colour vision in workers exposed to organic solvents: A systematic review
A.M. Betancur-Sánchez, E.M. Vásquez-Trespalacios, C. Sardi-Correa
Archivos de la Sociedad Española de Oftalmología (English Edition).2017; 92(1): 12. CrossRef
Discromatopsias y exposición a solventes orgánicos: una revisión sistemática
A.M. Betancur-Sánchez, E.M. Vásquez-Trespalacios, C. Sardi-Correa
Archivos de la Sociedad Española de Oftalmología.2017; 92(1): 12. CrossRef
Color vision impairments among shipyard workers exposed to mixed organic solvents, especially xylene
Eun-Hee Lee, Domyung Paek, Young Lim Kho, Kyungho Choi, Hong Jae Chae
Neurotoxicology and Teratology.2013; 37: 39. CrossRef
Usefulness of Color Vision Test for Early Detection of Neurological Damages by Neurotoxic Substances
Eun-Hee Lee, Kyungho Choi, Hong Jae Chae, Domyung Paek
Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health.2008; 41(6): 397. CrossRef

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Analysis of Korean Analytical Quality Assurance Program for the Special Health Examination from 1995 to 1999: Seong Kyu Kang, Jeong Sun Yang, Mi Young Lee, In Jeong Park, Ho Keun Chung; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2000;12(1):139-147. Published online March 31, 2000; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2000.12.1.139

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVE: The accuracy of analytical results of blood and urine heavy metals came out to the main issue on occupational health from late eighties. The discrepancy of the results for same samples from different laboratories made the diagnosis for occupational diseases be unreliable. Therefore, a quality control program for analysis of samples taken from workplace had been introduced in Korea since 1992. This study aims to show the quality control program f'or analysis of blood and urine samples and its proficient rates from 1992 to 1999 and to know how they have been being used in occupational health.
METHODS
The quality control program runs twice a year with mandatory items of blood lead and urine hippuvic acid and voluntary items of blood cadmium and manganese and urine mandellic acid and methyl hippuric acid. Participant laboratories are receiving three levels for each items and two out of three samples have to be qualified for being a proficient laboratory for the item. The acceptable range of blood lead and urine hippuric acid is +/-15% and that of the others is within 3 SD(standard deviation) from the reference values.
RESULTS
The proficient rates of blood lead and urine hippuric acid was 89%, 90%, repectively, however those of the other voluntary items have been from 51% to 62%. The proficient rates of urine mercury and urine N-methylformamide(NMF), which are introduced since 1999, were very poor. Urine hippuric acid and blood lead were analyzed frequently for the purpose of biological monitoring conducting by special health examination organizations. Urine and blood manganese and urine metabolites of trichloroethylene, urine phenol, methylhippuric acid and cadmium were followed.
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, the quality control program for biological monitoring has dramatically improve the ability of analysing blood and urine samples and eventually contributes to diagnose occupational diseases and to prevent occupational poisoning. However, some biological monitoring data, such as urine manganese, mercury and NMF, have been still reported from laboratories that were not accepted as a proficient laboratory.

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External Quality Assessment Scheme for Biological Monitoring of Occupational Exposure to Toxic Chemicals
Mi-Young Lee, Jeong Sun Yang, Seong-Kyu Kang
Safety and Health at Work.2011; 2(3): 229. CrossRef

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Neurobehavioral Performance Changes of Chronic Exposure to Organic Solvents among Textile Processing Workers: Seon Hee Yang, Moo Sik Lee, Dong Hoon Shin; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1998;10(2):227-239. Published online May 31, 1998; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1998.10.2.227

Abstract PDF: The study was conducted to predict the risk of chronic exposure by neurobehavioral test and to use it as a basic source of the management for workers exposed to organic solvents. The exposed group was selected from coating department of textile processing industry. The unexposed group was selected from those who visited the clinic to take an annual check-up. The author administered WHO-NCTB (neurobehavioral core test battery). Also, Scandinavian Questionnaire 16 was tested by self-administration to find the correlation between subjective symptoms and NCTB results, and to assess the availability of the Questionnaire in mass screening test concurrently. The final analysed subjects were 78 (27 in exposed group and 51 in unexposed group) workers except who had a neurologic disease or systemic disease affecting the central nervous system. In Questionnaire study, there was no significant difference in total neurotoxic symptom scores between the exposed and the unexposed group. In NCTB, the exposed group had lower mean scores than the unexposed group for all tests. When the effect by age and education were considered, there was a statistically significant difference only in pursuit timing test. This study suggests the availability of NCTB and the Questionnaire for the assessment of neurobehavioral change in workers exposed to organic solvents.

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Type of Anemia Due to Organic Solvents: Choong Ryeol Lee, Cheol In Ryu; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1998;10(2):180-188. Published online May 31, 1998; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1998.10.2.180

Abstract PDF: The purpose of this study Is whether we can presuppose the correlation between some type of anemia and exposure to organic solvents using some hematologic index such as MCV, RDW and MCHC. The authors conducted the hematological examination of 160 male workers who were exposed organic solvents and those of 167 control workers. The type of anemia was slightly macrocytic anemia, and the RDW was generally homogenous in workers exposed to organic solvents whereas those of control were normocytic and homogenous.

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A Study on the Urinary Metabolites and Sister Chromatid Exchanges of Peripheral Lymphocytes in Workers Exposed to the Organic Solvents: Don Kyoun Kim, In Kyung Hwang, Cheol In Ryu, Su Il Lee, Kap Yul Jung, Yong Hwan Lee, Choong Ryeol Lee, Won Il Hyun, Suk Bong Kim, Yong Duk Jeon; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(1):75-83. Published online February 28, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.1.75

Abstract PDF: In order to know the possibility of utilizing the sister chromatid exchanges as an index which could evaliiate the effect of organic solvents on Lhe health in industrial workers, the authors Studied the effects of the inductivity of sister chromatid exchanges in peripheral lymphocyces from 90 female workers espoxed to organic solvents .and 20 lion-exposed female workers. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The frequency of sister chromatid exchanges in peripheral iympnocytes from 90 female workers exposed to organic solvents was significantly increased in comparison with 20 coatiol subiect. 2. The frequency of sister chromatid exchanges was significantly Increased in the workers who were employed in the manufacture of plastic materials than the other manufactures. 3. There were no significant differences in the frequency of sister chrornatid exchanges by carriera of the exposed workers. 4. The correlation between the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges and urinary hippuric acid was significant with the coefficient of 0.5902 showing Y=1.867X+15.188 in which Y indicate the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges per cell and X indicate the urinary hippuric acid concentration by g/l.

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