短期奈米微粒暴露對焊接作業勞工健康之影響

Effects of Short-Term Exposure to Ultrafine Particles on Health in Welding Workers

勞工在執行焊接作業的過程中，極易於短時間內暴露高濃度的奈米微粒，然而，奈米微粒暴露對勞工身體健康造成的影響卻鮮為人知。本研究目的在於調查勞工進行焊接作業時的奈米微粒暴露濃度，以及探討奈米微粒暴露對勞工尿中發炎與氧化壓力生物指標之影響。
本研究於臺灣北、中、南部徵求了50位焊接作業人員與50位辦公室行政人員做為受試者，每位受試者均以採樣器對其作業環境進行8小時奈米微粒連續採樣，並為每位受試者進行健康問卷調查，另收集每位受試者下班後的尿液檢體，
分析每位受試者尿中的發炎指標介白素6與氧化壓力指標8-異構前列腺素F2α。所有環境採樣資料與健康相關資料以迴歸方程式分析其相關性。
本研究發現現場區奈米微粒污染物濃度顯著高於行政區，現場區焊接作業人
員無論是介白素6或8-異構前列腺素F2α濃度均顯著高於辦公室行政人員。此外，迴歸方程式分析結果發現奈米微粒濃度上升與焊接作業人員尿中介白素6，以及8-異構前列腺素F2α濃度的提高存在著統計學上的顯著相關性。配戴口罩的焊接作業人員，其奈米微粒濃度上升與其尿中介白素6或8-異構前列腺素F2α的上升幅度較低。辦公室行政人員奈米微粒濃度上升與其尿中介白素6或8-異構前列腺素F2α的上升無統計學上的顯著相關性。奈米微粒暴露與焊接作業人員尿中發炎與氧化壓力指標的上升有顯著相關性。配戴口罩能否減緩奈米微粒暴露對尿中發炎
與氧化壓力指標的影響宜進一步研究探討。

Workers would be exposed to nanoparticles during welding processes at workplaces. However, the association between nanoparticles and human health is largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to investigate exposure level of nanoparticles, and ex-plore the association of nanoparticles exposure with urine inflammation and oxidative stress among welding workers. We recruited 50 welding workers and 50 office work-ers from northern, central and southern Taiwan to participant this study. We conducted 8-hour environmental sampling of nanoparticles at workplace for each participant. Each participant was experienced a questionnaire investigation and a post-shift urine specimen collection. The urine specimen was used to analyze interleukin-6 (IL-6) and 8-iso-Pros-taglandin F2α(8-iso-PGF2α). All environmental data and health data were analyzed by regression model. The environmental concentrations of nanoparticles in workplaces among welding workers were significantly higher than that of office workers. Also, the concentrations of urine IL-6 and 8-iso-PGF2αamong welding workers were significant-ly higher than that of office workers. The regression models showed significant associ-ations between elevated nanoparticles levels, increased urine IL-6, and increased urine 8-iso-PGF2αin welding workers. The welding workers with masks had mild effects of nanoparticles on urine inflammation and oxidative stress. There was no significant asso-ciation between nanoparticles, urine IL-6, and increased urine 8-iso-Prostaglandin F2αin office workers. Exposure to nanoparticles was associated with inflammation and ox-idative stress in welding workers. The effect of mask usage on the association between nanoparticles and urine IL-6 and 8-iso-PGF2αshould be investigated in future study.