Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The aims of this study were to investigate the occupational exposure level to toluene among rotogravure printers and neurobehavioral effects among them.
METHODS
Fifty rotogravure printers and 147 controls participated in this study. Environmental and biological monitoring was performed for the investigation of toluene exposure level, and neurobehavioral performance test were performed by using the Behavioral Assessment and Research System with Korean language instructions(BARS-K).
RESULTS
The major results were as follows; 1. Geometric mean toluene concentrations in the ambient air of 5 rotogravure printing workplaces were 10.5 (GSD 5.9)~181.9 (GSD 17.7), with a grand total of 56.7 (GSD60.9) ppm. 2. The geometric mean urinary hippuric acid level for rotogravure printers of 5 workplaces were 0.31 (GSD 0.11)~5.14 (GSD 0.55), with the grand total of 1.87 (GSD 2.06) g/g creatinine. 3. There was a linear correlation between hippuric acid levels in urine and the exposed toluene in air: urine hippuric acid (g/g creatinine)=0.03 toluene (ppm) + 0.15 (r=0.899, p<0.01, n=50). 4. After adjustment for confounders, significant associations were found between toluene exposure and Digit span forwards, Digit span backwards, Tapping preferred hand, Symbol digit and Selective attention trials.
CONCLUSIONS
1. Rotogravure printers were occupationally exposed to relatively high concentration to toluene, and their neurobehavioral performances were decreased. 2. The BARS neurobehavioral testing program, which minimizes the use of text in the instructions, was very effective in overcoming the cultural barriers in neurobehavioral testing.

• Keywords: Toluene;Hippuric acid;Neurobehavioral performance;BARS-K