학술논문
Airborne trichloramine (NCl3 ) levels and self-reported health symptoms in indoor swimming pool workers: dose-response relationships.
Document Type
Article
Author
Source
Subject
*INDUSTRIAL hygiene
*RESPIRATORY infections
*CHLORAMINES
*SELF-evaluation
*SYMPTOMS
*DOSE-response relationship in biochemistry
*ASTHMA
*SWIMMING pools
*DISEASE risk factors
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Language
ISSN
1559-0631
Abstract
The hypothesis that attendance at indoor chlorinated swimming pool is a risk factor for irritative ocular and respiratory symptoms and bronchial asthma is well known in literature, although epidemiological evidence is still inconclusive. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between airborne trichloramine (NCl3) levels and irritative symptoms in swimming pool employees in order to obtain detailed data regarding dose-response relationships and to identify the airborne NCl3 exposure level, if any, without health effects. A total of 20 indoor swimming pools in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy were included in the study. Information about the health status of 128 employees was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Exposure to airborne NCl3 was evaluated in indoor swimming pools by a modified DPD/KI method. The results of the study evidenced a mean value of airborne NCl3 of 0.65±0.20 mg/m3 (ranging from 0.20 to 1.02 mg/m3). Both ocular and upper respiratory symptoms, in particular red eyes, runny nose, voice loss and cold symptoms, were declared more frequently by lifeguards and trainers when compared with employees working in other areas of the facility (office, cafe, and so on). Pool attendants exposed to airborne NCl3 levels of >0.5 mg/m3 experienced higher risks for runny nose (OR: 2.91; 95% CI: 1.22-6.93) red eyes (OR: 3.16; 95% CI: 1.46-6.82), voice loss (OR: 3.56; 95% CI: 1.60-7.95) and itchy eyes (OR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.04-4.78) than other employees. Moreover, red eyes, itchy eyes, runny nose and voice loss are related to airborne NCl3 levels, with strong dose-response relationships. In conclusion, this study shows that lifeguards and trainers experience ocular and respiratory irritative symptoms more frequently than employees not exposed. Irritative symptoms become significant starting from airborne NCl3 levels of >0.5 mg/m3, confirming that the WHO-recommended value can be considered protective in occupational exposure to airborne NCl3 in indoor swimming pools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]