Producers of Engineered Nanomaterials—What Motivates Company and Worker Participation in Biomonitoring Programs?

Camille Crézé, Marjorie François, Nancy B. Hopf, Victor Dorribo, Jean-Jacques Sauvain, Enrico Bergamaschi, Giacomo Garzaro, Maida Domat, Judith Friesl, Eva Penssler, Athena Progiou and Irina Guseva Canu
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Camille Crézé: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Lausanne, Switzerland
Marjorie François: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Lausanne, Switzerland
Nancy B. Hopf: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Lausanne, Switzerland
Victor Dorribo: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Lausanne, Switzerland
Jean-Jacques Sauvain: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Lausanne, Switzerland
Enrico Bergamaschi: Laboratory of Toxicology and Industrial Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
Giacomo Garzaro: Laboratory of Toxicology and Industrial Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
Maida Domat: Instituto Tecnológico del Embalaje, Transporte y Logística (ITENE), 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
Judith Friesl: Yordas GmbH, 91301 Forchheim, Germany
Eva Penssler: Yordas GmbH, 91301 Forchheim, Germany
Athena Progiou: ALCON Consultant Engineers Ltd., 11257 Athens, Greece
Irina Guseva Canu: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Lausanne, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-12

Abstract: Production and handling of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) can yield worker exposure to these materials with the potential for unforeseen negative health effects. Biomonitoring enables regular exposure and health assessment and an effective risk management. We aimed to identify factors influencing biomonitoring acceptance according to hierarchical positions of ENM producers. Managers and workers were invited to complete an online questionnaire. Forty-three companies producing or handling ENMs such as titanium dioxide (61%) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (44%) participated. The majority of managers (72%) and all workers responded positively to participating in biomonitoring studies. The main reasons for refusing participation included concerns about data confidentiality and sufficient knowledge about ENM health and safety. Acquisitions of individual study results, improvement of workers’ safety, and help to the development of ENM-specific health and safety practice were among the most valuable reasons for positively considering participation. All workers indicated feeling comfortable with biomonitoring procedures of exhaled air sampling—about half were similarly comfortable with exhaled breath condensate, urine, and buccal cell sampling. The majority of both workers and managers stated that participation in a biomonitoring program should take place during working hours. Although our survey only had limited participation, our results are useful in designing appropriate biomonitoring programs for workers exposed to ENMs.

Keywords: human biomonitoring programs; engineered nanomaterials; occupational exposure; exposure assessment; online survey; participation propensity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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