The cassava roots used for flour production contain high amounts of cyanogenic glycosides and are, therefore, potential hydrogen cyanide (HCN) releasers. This fact is the cause of an increasing health concern in the sector of cassava processing. Brazilian workers engaged in the flour production may be chronically exposed to HCN in levels above the safety limits. This hypothesis is based on the drastic reduction in cyanide content of cassava roots during a traditional Brazilian method of processing and in the physical properties of the compound, which makes it very susceptible to volatilization and air contamination. As an attempt to explore this issue, HCN exposure in Brazilian “flour houses” was evaluated in this study through environmental and biological monitoring. Four flour houses placed in Alagoas State, Brazil, were investigated. The results indicated that the cassava processors are chronically exposed to HCN at average levels between 0.464 and 3.328mg/m3 (TWA), in the work environment. This range is below the TLV-C of 5mg/m3 but not below the Action Level of 2.5mg/m3. These data may be interpreted as a possible risk to susceptible individuals. Additionally, the biological monitoring indicated a high cyanide exposure in the population study, considering urinary thiocyanate (SCN-) levels.
INTRODUÇÃOO crescimento urbano e a conseqüente modernização das cidades e dos processos industriais têm intensificando a produção, o armazenamento, a circulação e o consumo de produtos químicos dentro de um contexto mundial, surgindo a segurança química como uma necessidade básica na prevenção dos efeitos adversos a saúde humana e ao meio ambiente.Segundo estimativa da Organização Internacional do Trabalho (OIT), das 160 milhões de doenças relacionadas ao trabalho, 35 milhões estão relacionadas à exposição a substâncias químicas com a ocorrência de 439.000 mortes (Kato et al, 2007).Os produtos químicos em geral fazem parte do cotidiano de diversos segmentos empresariais de modo que a acessibilidade, clareza e qualidade das informações sobre seus perigos vêm sendo exigidas. No caso de indústrias químicas ou de qualquer empresa que lide direta ou indiretamente com produtos químicos, o primeiro passo é a implantação de um sistema de informação de qualidade, e uma das principais ferramentas necessárias para que este sistema seja implantado efetivamente é a FISPQ -Ficha de Informações sobre Segurança de Produtos químicos.No Brasil a obrigatoriedade da utilização de fichas de segurança é sustentada pelo Decreto nº 2.657, 03/07/1998, Art. 8 -Fichas de segurança: "Os empregadores que utilizem produtos químicos perigosos deverão receber fichas com dados de segurança que contenham informações essenciais detalhadas sobre a sua identificação, seu fornecedor, a sua classificação, a sua periculosidade, as medidas de precaução e os procedimentos de emergência". E existe a Lei nº 8.078, 11/09/1990, Art. 39 -É vedado ao fornecedor de produtos ou serviços, dentre outras práticas abusivas: VIII -"colocar, no mercado de consumo, qualquer produto ou serviço em desacordo com as normas expedidas pelos órgãos oficias competentes ou, se normas específicas não existirem, pela Associação Brasileira de
Exposure of cassava processing workers to hydrogen cyanide from Manihot esculenta, Crantz, in Alagoas, Brazil Cassava used for flour production contains high amounts of cyanogenic glycosides, compounds that, after degradation, release hydrogen cyanide (HCN) which provide toxicity to these type of root. A suitable cassava processing results in the degradation of cyanogenic glycosides and in the production of a safety flour for consumption as food, which generates the hypothesis of HCN release during the process. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the HCN exposure of workers engaged in cassava processing, as well as, to identify possible clinical and laboratory alterations related to this exposure. It was included in the study 4 cassava processing facilities placed on Alagoas state, Brazil. It was conducted the determination of HCN in air samples according to the method 6010 proposed by NIOSH. Each industry was monitored in three points: two on workers respiratory zone and one static. A total of 36 male volunteers, distributed between the 4 facilities were included in the study. Each participant was submitted to urine sampling, been one before and other after work shift, and to one blood sampling before work shift. Urinary thiocyanate (SCN-) was spectrophotometrically determined, whereas the remaining biochemical evaluation was conducted in a commercial clinical laboratory. The results indicated that the cassava processors are chronically exposed to HCN at levels between 0,464±0,02 and 3,328±3,85 mg/m³, in the work environment. The comparison between the levels determined at the present study with the Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL) established by NIOSH and ACGIH indicated that cassava processors may be exposed to HCN levels capable of causing adverse health effects. The mean levels of urinary thiocyanate (10,62-before shift and 8,76-after shift), were significantly higher than the reference value for non smokers and also for the history mean obtained from the laboratory employed for SCNanalysis, during 2008-2010. The results of laboratorial evaluation indicated increase in the serum activity of alkaline phosphatase in cassava processors exposed to HCN, with a prevalence of 93,3%. The workers were submitted to clinical evaluation and it was not detected any alteration typical of HCN exposure.
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