International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health最新文献

{"title":"Occupational related heat stress exposure and heat-related symptoms among sugarcane workers in Thailand.","authors":"Martie van Tongeren, Tadpong Tantipanjaporn, Andrew Povey, Holly A Shiels, Matthew Gittins","doi":"10.1007/s00420-026-02216-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00420-026-02216-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Thai sugarcane workers often work in very hot, humid conditions. This study investigated the effect of heat stress exposure on heat-related symptoms and severe heat-related symptoms associated with heat stroke in Thai sugarcane workers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Sugarcane workers in Nakhon Sawan Province, Thailand, recruited during cooler and hotter months of 2023 provided information on demographics, health behaviours, working conditions, and 21 heat-related symptoms, including 8 severe heat-related symptoms. Environmental heat was assessed using Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). Full shift time-weighted average effective WBGTs (WBGT_eff-FS-TWA) were estimated and adjusted for clothing to represent heat stress exposure. Associations between heat stress exposure and symptom counts were examined using generalised negative binomial regression, adjusting for available confounders. Generalised binary logistic regression assessed associations between heat stress exposure and having ≥ 10 heat-related symptoms or ≥ 3 severe heat-related symptoms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean measured WBGT was 28.9 ± 2.6 °C. The mean WBGT_eff-FS-TWA was 31.3 ± 2.8 °C, with more than 40% exposed to 32.0-34.0 °C. Of the 295 participants (165 males, 130 females), there were no significant gender differences observed in the risk of heat-related symptoms. Ninety-eight percent experienced ≥ 1 heat-related symptom, and 74% reported ≥ 1 severe heat-related symptom. Relative risk (RR (95%CI)) for the number of heat-related symptoms was 1.10 (1.08, 1.13) per 1 °C increase in WBGT_eff-FS-TWA, whereas for severe heat-related symptoms, the RR was 1.19 (1.14, 1.24). Odds ratio (OR) for ≥ 10 heat-related symptoms was 1.50 (1.29, 1.75) per 1 °C; for ≥ 3 severe heat-related symptoms OR was 1.49 (1.30, 1.72).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Sugarcane workers in Thailand report very high prevalence of heat-related symptoms. The number of reported heat-related and severe heat-related symptoms increases significantly as temperature increases. These results highlight the urgent need to protect sugarcane and other agricultural workers from excessive heat stress.</p>","PeriodicalId":13761,"journal":{"name":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health","volume":"99 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13272210/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of volatile organic compounds with serum lactate dehydrogenase levels in the general adults.","authors":"Ruitong Liao, Xiaoping Huang, Yue Xu, Qingya Zhao, Xiaogang Lv, Qi Liu, Qianqian Ji, Liuqing Li, Minghe Xu, Weiqing Chen, Yunzhang Wang, Shan Xu, Yiqiang Zhan","doi":"10.1007/s00420-026-02215-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00420-026-02215-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the associations between urinary metabolites of Volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) and serum Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in a representative sample of the U.S. adults.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed data from 4907 participants in NHANES 2011-2018. Seventeen urinary mVOCs were measured, and serum LDH was used as the outcome. Generalized linear models (GLM), restricted cubic splines (RCS), and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression were used to assess linear, nonlinear, and mixture effects. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using urinary creatinine-corrected mVOC concentrations, and quantile g-computation (qgcomp) was applied as an alternative mixture modeling approach to validate the robustness of our findings. Furthermore, false discovery rate (FDR) correction was applied to account for multiple comparisons.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Several mVOCs were significantly associated with serum LDH. Notably, 2MHA, 34MHA, ATCA, and CYMA showed robust inverse associations, while PHEM was positively associated with LDH. RCS models revealed non-linear exposure-response relationships for multiple mVOCs. WQS regression indicated that both positively and negatively weighted mVOCs contributed to LDH levels, with DHBMA as a major positive contributor and 34MHA as a negative contributor. Most associations remained stable after sensitivity analyses.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study demonstrates that urinary mVOCs are associated with serum LDH levels, suggesting potential subclinical toxic effects of VOC exposure. These findings underscore the need for environmental risk management and further investigation into the biological pathways linking VOCs to systemic health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":13761,"journal":{"name":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health","volume":"99 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13269155/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148251518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-term hearing threshold shifts from moderate noise exposure (< 85 dBA time-weighted average) in semiconductor silicon-wafer manufacturing process.","authors":"Sanghyun Kim, Seung Nam Min, Dong Joon Kim, Chankyu Kang","doi":"10.1007/s00420-026-02217-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00420-026-02217-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Long-term hearing effects of occupational noise exposure below 85 dBA TWA remain insufficiently characterized in semiconductor manufacturing environments. This study evaluated longitudinal hearing-threshold changes among silicon wafer manufacturing workers exposed to moderate workplace noise over approximately 20 years.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective cohort study examined serial pure-tone air-conduction audiometry (0.5-6 kHz) in 71 male semiconductor workers exposed to process-specific noise levels ranging from 72.2 to 80.9 dBA TWA. Participants were classified into normal-hearing (n = 53) and hearing-impaired (n = 18) groups according to Korean special health examination criteria and further categorized by manufacturing process: Process A (utilities), Process B (ingot processing), and Process C (wafer slicing). Longitudinal hearing-threshold changes were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and compared with ISO 1999:2013 reference predictions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both groups demonstrated significant deterioration in high-frequency hearing thresholds, particularly at 4-6 kHz (p < 0.001). Workers with normal baseline hearing showed threshold shifts of approximately 6-8 dB at 4 kHz and 8-10 dB at 6 kHz during follow-up, whereas workers with pre-existing hearing impairment demonstrated substantially greater progression. Process C, which had the highest recent exposure levels, showed the most pronounced longitudinal deterioration. Observed high-frequency threshold shifts were greater than conservative ISO 1999 reference predictions despite exposure levels below 85 dBA.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Prolonged exposure to moderate occupational noise below current regulatory limits was associated with progressive high-frequency hearing deterioration in semiconductor manufacturing workers. These findings suggest that cumulative exposure duration and process-specific exposure characteristics should be considered in occupational hearing conservation programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":13761,"journal":{"name":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health","volume":"99 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148211236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Precarious employment and its associations with perceived stress and self-rated health: a Danish cross-sectional study.","authors":"Per Høgh Poulsen, Jesper Medom Vestergaard, Trine Nøhr Winding, Karin Biering, Johan Hviid Andersen, Rasmus Juul Møberg","doi":"10.1007/s00420-026-02213-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00420-026-02213-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Precarious employment (PE), characterized by job insecurity, instability, low wages, and limited access to social protections, has been linked to adverse health outcomes. This study examines whether PE, measured using a newly validated precarious employment index (PEI), is associated with high stress and poor self-rated health (SRH) in Danish workers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional study including 3339 Danish workers aged 18-45 years. The PEI captures six dimensions of working conditions: instability, salary, power and rights, work task planning, work time planning, and workers' collective. PEI scores ranged from 0 (no PE) to 100 (most PE) and were dichotomized at the mean + 1 Standard Deviation (SD) into \"no PE\" and \"PE\"; 15% were classified as PE. Health outcomes comprised dichotomized measures of Perceived Stress and SRH. Logistic regression models were applied, adjusting for sex, age, ethnicity, highest education, cohabitation, previous mental illness, and labor market participation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Workers aged 18-24 years had the highest average PEI score (37.7, SD = 12.6). Participants in the PE category had significantly higher odds of reporting high stress (adjusted OR (AOR) = 4.0, 95% CI 3.2‒5.0) and poor SRH (AOR = 3.0, 95% CI 2.3‒3.8). Age-stratified analyses indicated stronger associations among workers aged 30-45 years compared to workers aged 18‒29 years.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Workers aged 18-24 years and those with lower educational attainment had the highest PEI scores. PE was associated with higher odds of high stress and poor SRH, with the strongest associations observed among workers aged 30-45 years.</p>","PeriodicalId":13761,"journal":{"name":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health","volume":"99 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13190423/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147972238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Occupational radiation exposure and cause-specific mortality in a cohort of Canadian medical workers.","authors":"Mohammad Sazzad Hasan, Tim Prendergast, Philippe Prince, Minh T Do, Paul A Demers, Cheryl Peters, Lydia Zablotska, Paul J Villeneuve","doi":"10.1007/s00420-026-02211-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00420-026-02211-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The health effects of high and moderate doses of ionizing radiation are recognized, but the impacts at lower doses are less clear. Medical workers represent the largest occupational group exposed to radiation. Herein, we examine mortality patterns in a Canadian cohort of medical workers, sex differences in risk, and trends in exposure over time.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Annual whole-body effective doses for 301,740 medical workers between 1951 and 2018 were obtained from the Canadian National Dose Registry. Dose trends were characterised by job class and sex. Underlying cause of death was ascertained using linkage to mortality data through 2020. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were estimated to compared the risk of mortality among 124,180 workers with with a lifetime cumulative dose > 0 mSv to the Canadian general population. Internal cohort comparisons incorporated person-time and events among unexposed workers. Poisson regression was used for internal cohort comparisons to explore healthy worker bias.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean annual radiation dose among workers declined from 0.56 mSv during 1948-1977 to 0.09 mSv in 2000-2018. Compared to the general Canadian population, all-cause mortality was lower for both men (SMR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.52-0.55) and women (SMR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.55-0.59). No elevated cause-specific mortality risks were observed. Internal cohort analyses suggests that the healthy worker effects may be contributing to lower mortality rates in workers exposed to low doses of radiation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Consistent with earlier studies, radiation-exposed medical workers have reduced mortality relative to the general population, likely reflecting a healthy worker effect.</p>","PeriodicalId":13761,"journal":{"name":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health","volume":"99 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13171653/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147929097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exposure-response relation for vibration-induced white finger: influence of different estimates of daily exposure time.","authors":"Magdalena F Scholz, Anthony J Brammer, Steffen Marburg","doi":"10.1007/s00420-026-02210-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00420-026-02210-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>It is analyzed whether differences in how the daily usage time is determined in a population exposed to hand-transmitted vibration are the cause of discrepancies between exposure-response models constructed for vibration-induced white finger (VWF). The predictions of the models are then used to evaluate the one in ISO 5349-1:2001.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Pooled analyses employing data from epidemiologic studies of vibration-exposed occupations deemed the most reliable, together with published ratios between daily tool or machine usage times determined by questionnaire or interview and measured values, are used to construct exposure-response relations. These models are compared to those in which the daily usage time is not compensated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 17 data points, for 7 the usage time ratio is greater than 1, and for the rest the ratio is equal to 1. Adjusting daily vibration exposures, expressed as A(8)-values, by means of such ratios, results in reductions of varying magnitude. However, the exposure-response models show minor changes, and the scatter in the data points previously observed remains.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Methods for estimating 10% prevalence of VWF from the prevalence recorded in a population study are found to have more effect on the models than different methods for estimating the daily usage time. Yet, the spread and clustering in the data remain and point to issues in the constituents of the A(8)-value. The ISO relation is generally consistent with the lower 95-percentile confidence limit of the models and so provides a conservative exposure limit at least for A(8)-values greater than about 3 [Formula: see text].</p>","PeriodicalId":13761,"journal":{"name":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health","volume":"99 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13135584/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147814580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of DCBA exposure on liver fibrosis and NAFLD: a comprehensive investigation integrating NHANES data analysis, network toxicology, and molecular docking.","authors":"Yansong Fu, Jiayun Wang, Xin Zeng, Hong Qin","doi":"10.1007/s00420-026-02212-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00420-026-02212-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study examined associations between urinary 3-diethyl-carbamoyl benzoic acid (DCBA), the principal metabolite of the insect repellent DEET, and liver fibrosis (LF) as well as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using a nationally representative sample. Network toxicology approaches were employed to explore underlying molecular mechanisms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed 5,960 adults from NHANES with DCBA measurements obtained through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. LF severity was determined using NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS ≥ 0.676), whereas NAFLD was identified via sex-specific alanine aminotransferase criteria. Weighted logistic regression models incorporated progressive adjustment for demographic, anthropometric, and clinical factors. Network toxicology identified molecular targets, with molecular docking and dynamics simulations validating mechanistic pathways.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>DCBA exposure showed significant positive correlations with LF risk after full adjustment (OR = 1.254, 95% CI: 1.097-1.432, P < 0.001), demonstrating clear dose-response patterns (P-trend = 0.019). However, DCBA exhibited no meaningful relationship with NAFLD prevalence (OR = 1.002, 95% CI: 0.935-1.074, P = 0.954). Alcohol intake substantially modified the DCBA-LF relationship (interaction P = 0.002), showing stronger effects in drinkers (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.23-1.69). Epidermal growth factor receptor emerged as the key molecular target with strongest binding capacity ( -6.9 kcal/mol).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>DCBA displays selective correlations with hepatic fibrosis independent of steatotic processes, with alcohol potentiating fibrogenic effects. These results establish new exposure-response relationships for common environmental chemicals and advance mechanistic understanding for risk assessment applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":13761,"journal":{"name":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health","volume":"99 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147814441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Measurement of muscle passive stiffness in vibration-exposed groundskeepers.","authors":"Nathan Chen, Seunghyeon Yang, Justin Leach, Jonghwa Oh","doi":"10.1007/s00420-026-02214-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00420-026-02214-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>OBJECTIVE: Currently, there is no standardized method to quantify musculoskeletal health of hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). This study evaluated passive stiffness (PS) of the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscle among groundskeepers and examined the potential relationship of the PS with lifetime hand-arm vibration (HAV) exposure of the workers. METHODS: PS of APB muscle was measured using a myotonometer among 17 groundskeepers and 10 office workers for 3 days. Study participants’ HAV exposure, demographic information, social history, and health-related information were pulled from our previous studies conducted in parallel with the present study. Linear mixed models were employed to estimate the association between lifetime HAV exposure dose and PS. RESULTS: The average PS for right and left hands was 509.7 N/m (range 402.2–752.9 N/m) and 501.7 N/m (range 380.4–660.7 N/m), respectively, in the exposure group and 422.0 N/m (range 365.0–517.2 N/m) and 430.3 N/m (range 359.2–591.9 N/m), respectively, in the reference group. A significant positive association between lifetime HAV exposure and PS was observed in the multivariable linear mixed model after adjusting for age, body mass index, and race/ethnicity (right hand: β = 6.972 and p-value = 0.0128; left hand: β = 9.039 and p-value = 0.0108). CONCLUSIONS: A significant association between lifetime HAV exposure and PS was found, supporting PS measurement using myotonometry as a promising health indicator for muscular disorders induced by HAV.</p>","PeriodicalId":13761,"journal":{"name":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health","volume":"99 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13132957/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147770587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Autopsy reports and asbestos exposure from mesothelioma patients: a population-based study in Northeastern Italy.","authors":"Flavia D'Agostin, Corrado Negro, Fabiano Barbiero, Paola De Michieli, Rossana Bussani, Maurizio Pinamonti, Francesca Larese Filon, Francesca Rui","doi":"10.1007/s00420-026-02207-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00420-026-02207-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>PURPOSE: Malignant Mesotelioma (MM) is known for its association with asbestos exposure and long latency. Few studies examine a large series of MM patients investigating the past exposure intensity by autopsy findings. The aim was to describe the characteristics of MM cases diagnosed in Friuli Venezia Giulia, a region with several shipyards, and to assess past exposure levels by biological/histological markers, paying attention to some parameters of occupational exposure. METHODS: For the period 1995–2023, all MM cases were retrieved from the Regional registry and information on diagnosis and exposure were evaluated. Pleural plaques (PP), lung fibrosis and asbestos bodies (ABs) counts were identified by autopsy reports and their relationship to past asbestos exposure was analyzed. RESULTS: Out of 1756 patients (1,487 men, 269 women; mean age at diagnosis 72.3 ± 10.4 years), autopsy reports were available for 896 cases (763 males and 133 females). PP, lung fibrosis and high ABs count (≥ 10,000 per gram of dry lung tissue) were more often present in men and in occupational exposure group than in women and in non-occupational one (p = 0.01). Among males occupationally exposed to asbestos (567 pleural and 33 peritoneal mesotheliomas), individuals with PP (66% of cases) had a significantly longer duration of exposure (mean 23.4 ± 11.9 versus 21.1 ± 11.7 years, p < 0.05) and latency period (mean 52.0 ± 10.9 versus 50.0 ± 11.4 years, p < 0.05) than those without them (34% of cases). Multivariable analysis confirmed the association between PP and duration of exposure (OR = 1.01; 95% CI 1.00–1.03), presumably due to a greater cumulative exposure in these subjects. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that although autopsy findings in MM patients can support the etiology and the relevance of past asbestos exposure, their absence does not rule out this possibility, especially in medicolegal and insurance contexts. The large series of autopsies confirmed the diagnosis of MM among these patients, improving the level of diagnostic certainty in those for whom asbestos exposure is hardly assessable, such as domestic or environmental exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":13761,"journal":{"name":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health","volume":"99 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147672223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of blood lead reference values for the Southern Ghanaian population against the background of international recommendations.","authors":"Linda Consoir, John Arko-Mensah, Jens Bertram, Julius N Fobil, Nicole Heussen, Thomas Schettgen, Margot Lakemeyer, Travis Heggie, Thomas Küpper","doi":"10.1007/s00420-026-02202-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00420-026-02202-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: So far there is no reference value for lead (Pb) established for the not occupationally exposed Ghanaian population. This is of special interest and will enable interpretation of data from high-risk areas like the Agbogbloshie e-waste dumpsite. The study suggests preliminary reference values for populations in Southern and Western Ghana. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Blood specimens from non-exposed population were obtained in three key regions (Ashanti-Offinso, Western-Eikwe and Greater Accra-Accra). Three age groups were evaluated (15–24, 25–34, > 34 years). Individual habits (nutrition, occupation etc.) were documented using a standardized questionnaire. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used for Pb analysis. RESULTS: There was a total of 292 participants (Offinso = 124, Eikwe = 130, Accra = 38). The total mean Pb blood concentration of the Southern Ghanaian population was 43.3 µg/l ± 17.7, with a mean of 48.3 µg/l ± 17.2 for men and a mean of 38.1 µg/l ± 16.8 for women (P = .2.93–10). This value is twice as high as the mean Pb level among Germans, and higher than in most European countries. The 95th percentile for the total collective in Ghana was 81 µg/l and 76 µg/l for men and women, respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on the 95th percentile of the non-exposed population > 25 years data suggest a preliminary reference value for Pb in Ghana of 81 µg/l for men and of 76 µg/l for women. Since environmental load decreases with increasing distance when unleaded fuel became standard this should be re-evaluated in about 10 years. Future studies should include the eastern and northern regions of Ghana and the analysis of soil for its Pb content as environmental factor.</p>","PeriodicalId":13761,"journal":{"name":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health","volume":"99 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13048959/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147616134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}