Evaluation of Take‐Home Exposure and Risk Associated with the Handling of Clothing Contaminated with Chrysotile Asbestos

Abstract

The potential for para-occupational (or take-home) exposures from contaminated clothing has been recognized for the past 60 years. To better characterize the take-home asbestos exposure pathway, a study was performed to measure the relationship between airborne chrysotile concentrations in the workplace, the contamination of work clothing, and take-home exposures and risks. The study included air sampling during two activities: (1) contamination of work clothing by airborne chrysotile (i.e., loading the clothing), and (2) handling and shaking out of the clothes. The clothes were contaminated at three different target airborne chrysotile concentrations (0-0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter [f/cc], 1-2 f/cc, and 2-4 f/cc; two events each for 31-43 minutes; six events total). Arithmetic mean concentrations for the three target loading levels were 0.01 f/cc, 1.65 f/cc, and 2.84 f/cc (National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety [NIOSH] 7402). Following the loading events, six matched 30-minute clothes-handling and shake-out events were conducted, each including 15 minutes of active handling (15-minute means; 0.014-0.097 f/cc) and 15 additional minutes of no handling (30-minute means; 0.006-0.063 f/cc). Percentages of personal clothes-handling TWAs relative to clothes-loading TWAs were calculated for event pairs to characterize exposure potential during daily versus weekly clothes-handling activity. Airborne concentrations for the clothes handler were 0.2-1.4% (eight-hour TWA or daily ratio) and 0.03-0.27% (40-hour TWA or weekly ratio) of loading TWAs. Cumulative chrysotile doses for clothes handling at airborne concentrations tested were estimated to be consistent with lifetime cumulative chrysotile doses associated with ambient air exposure (range for take-home or ambient doses: 0.00044-0.105 f/cc year).

Airborne asbestos exposures associated with gasket and packing replacement: A simulation study of flange and valve repair work and an assessment of exposure variables

“…Overall, the available data associated with handling and laundering clothing worn during work with encapsulated asbestos-containing products, such as gaskets and packing, indicate that airborne asbestos concentrations are low and a small fraction of the corresponding occupational exposures. The data from this study is consistent with other simulation studies of asbestos-containing encapsulated products (Madl et al, , 2009Jiang et al, 2008), as well as a recent simulation study characterizing the relationship between airborne chrysotile concentrations in a simulated workplace, the contamination of work clothing, and take-home exposures and risks (Sahmel et al, 2014). In this recent study, clothes handling TWAs were 0.03-0.27% (40-h TWA or weekly ratio) of the TWAs which reflected the simulated occupational environment (Sahmel et al, 2014).…”

“…Similar findings were seen in a recent study of take home exposures from handling contaminated work clothes, in which PCM measurements were up to 50-fold greater than those observed with asbestos-specific analytical techniques (e.g. TEM/PCME) (Sahmel et al, 2014). This underscores the contribution of clothing fibers to the PCM results and the value of asbestos-specific analytical methods.…”

Clothing-Mediated Exposures to Chemicals and Particles

“…249,254 Research has clearly documented that previously deposited material can be released into air from clothing. 197,206,255,256 For example, using a controlled chamber study approach, Licina and…”

Urban Transformation Process and Asbestos Exposure to Construction Demolition Workers: Review

“…[42][43][44] Yapılan bir araştırmada giysilerle bile ev ortamına asbest taşınarak, mesleksel olmayan maruziyetten söz edilmektedir. 45 İran'da yapılan araştırmada eski evlerin yıkımı sırasında, bireysel ve çevresel monitörizasyonda, eşik sınır değerden daha yüksek asbest lif düzeyleri saptanmıştır. 38 Avustralya'da ise asbestli çimento kullanılmış binaların yenilenmesinde uygun ön-lemler alınmasına rağmen havadaki asbest lif dü-zeyinin 0.1-0.2 ml/lif olduğu belirlenmiştir.…”