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IntroductionAlkylphenolic compounds are ubiquitous chemicals used as surfactants but having a wide range of other applications. Biologic matrices commonly used in epidemiologic studies, such as blood serum or plasma are not sensitive enough and too susceptible to contamination. Assessment of occupational exposure to alkylphenolic compounds may overcome these limitations. We developed a job-exposure matrix (JEM) to assess occupational exposure to alkylphenolic compounds in epidemiological research.MethodsWe consulted multiple sources of information, and performed interviews with nine key people from industry and academia. Three hygienists coded the frequency (minority or majority of workers involved) and intensity of exposure (including dispersive processes, with shaking, or aerosol generation, or otherwise) to alkylphenolic compounds for all the 390 ISCO-88 job titles by period of time.ResultsWe identified 57 (14.6%) out of 390 ISCO-88 job titles with potential exposure to alkylphenolic compounds. In 6 of jobs deemed as exposed, exposure depended on the economic sector of the occupation. Nonylphenol ethoxylates were the compounds most commonly involved (33 job titles, 57.9% of the exposed). Variations in alkylphenolic compounds use varied greatly over time; while they are still used in the plastic and rubber industry, in domestic cleaning agents their use began to decline before 1995.DiscussionWe built a JEM to assess exposure to alkylphenolic compounds, taking into account changes in use over time, different types of alkylphenolic compounds, and different scenarios of exposure, that can be a valuable tool for exposure assessment in epidemiologic research on the health effects of these chemicals.

IntroductionStrategies for reducing occupational exposure to carcinogens and allocating available resources effectively and efficiently require high quality information based on scientific evidence. With this purpose, the Occupational Health and Safety Institute of the Government of Catalonia developed the map of exposure to carcinogens in the workplace in Catalonia (CAREX-CAT) based on the methodology of the CAREX system.MethodologyCross-sectional study. CAREX-CAT includes the agents related to occupational exposures classified by the IARC into groups 1/2 A and a selection of agents classified into group 2 B, as well as those chemicals considered to be carcinogens by the European legislation. It is based on economic activity, reaching a 3-digit level of the Catalonian Industrial Classification. A multistage sampling design was used. Sample size was 98,000 workers from 1,600 companies in Catalonia. Information was collected between 2013–2015 through direct observation of work processes by hygienists using a standardised questionnaire. For some non-manufacturing sectors, information was collected from a literature review (2-digit level). The prevalence of exposure by agent and economic sector, and the proportion of multi-exposed workers were estimated.ResultsCAREX-CAT estimated the number of workers exposed to 76 carcinogens. The most common exposures were solar ultraviolet radiation (10.5%), night shift work (7.1%) and diesel engine exhaust (4.1%). After excluding exposure to solar radiation, shift work and radon, at least one third of the economic activities analysed (3-digit level) had more than 10% of their workers continuously exposed to carcinogens, and one third of activities had over 50% of their workers multi-exposed.ConclusionsA substantial proportion of Catalan workers are exposed to carcinogens at work. The information provided by CAREX-CAT is essential for the labour administration and other occupational health and safety agents to establish priorities for the primary prevention of occupational cancer and to design and implement interventions based on scientific knowledge.