目的:污水处理厂的工人暴露于复杂的毒素混合物中,包括硫化氢(H2S)。污水处理工人关注的问题,低水平H2S暴露可能对神经系统产生负面影响。经验神经心理学证据表明,低剂量暴露于H2S暴露会影响神经系统,相反,这种暴露可以促进神经系统功能,因为H2S是内源性产生的中枢神经系统(CNS)气体发射器。这项研究的目的是描述总暴露中的H2S成分与废水工人对神经心理运动功能的长期影响之间的可能关联。
方法:工人(N=138)在6个污水处理厂处理废水,或在下水道网系统中参与了一项横断面研究。H2S暴露以二分暴露变量表示,该变量定义了当前暴露的H2S(N=112)和未暴露的参考工人(N=26),和一个变量,定义了长期总的典型工作场所H2S暴露量的工作暴露矩阵。参与者进行了手协调的神经心理学测试,反应时间(SRT),和平衡,并填写了问卷。当比较当前暴露于H2S的工人与未暴露的对照组时,使用Pearson卡方检验或独立样本t检验。多元线性回归用于评估自变量年龄,吸烟和暴露变量,还有神经心理学测试.
结果:分析表明,与对照组相比,当前暴露于H2S的组的SRT增加(平均值[SD]=225.8[29.9]对210.7[26.3]ms,P=0.019),以及总研究样本中SRT增加与当前H2S暴露之间的关联(β=14.7,P=0.026,R2=0.06,P=0.050)。盲折叠平衡测试表明在整个研究样本中趋势不显著,最高与最低H2S总长期暴露指数组的平衡降低(Sway面积[平均值{SD},mm2:702[410]对581[278]),总长期H2S暴露与吸烟者之间平衡降低之间存在显著关联(Sway地区,mm2[β=38.7,P=0.039],意思是摇摆,mm[β=0.3,P=0.015])。
结论:观察到的趋势和关联可能是由于某些工作操作中的暴露峰值,并指出了最小化和避免暴露峰值的重要性,同样,当H2S时间加权平均测量值不超过5ppm的职业接触限值时。
Workers at sewage treatment plants are exposed to a complex mixture of toxins, including hydrogen sulphide (H2S). An issue of concern among sewage workers, is possible negative nervous system effects from low-level H2S exposure. Empirical neuropsychological evidence indicates both that low-dose exposure to H2S exposure affects the nervous system, and the contrary, that such exposure may facilitate nervous system function, since H2S is an endogenously produced central nervous system (CNS) gasotransmitter. The aim of this study is to describe a possible association between the H2S component of the total exposure and long-term effects on neuropsychological motor function among wastewater workers.
Workers (N = 138) treating wastewater in 6 sewage-treatment plants, or in the sewer net system participated in a cross-sectional study. H2S exposure was expressed in a dichotomous exposure variable defining currently H2S-exposed (N = 112) and unexposed referent workers (N = 26), and a variable defining a job-exposure matrix for long-term total typical workplace H2S exposure. The participants went through neuropsychological tests for hand coordination, reaction time (SRT), and balance, and completed questionnaires. Pearson chi-square test or independent samples t-test was used when comparing the currently H2S-exposed workers with the unexposed control group. Multiple linear regression was used to assess associations between the independent variables age, smoking and exposure variables, and the neuropsychological tests.
The analyses indicate increased SRT in the currently H2S-exposed group compared to controls (mean [SD] = 225.8 [29.9] versus 210.7 [26.3] ms, P = 0.019), and an association between increased SRT and current H2S-exposure in the total study sample (β = 14.7, P = 0.026, R2 = 0.06, P = 0.050). Blindfolded balance testing indicates a nonsignificant trend in the total study sample, of reduced balance in the highest versus lowest H2S total long-term exposure-index group (Sway area [mean {SD}, mm2: 702 [410] versus 581 [278]), and a significant association between total long-term H2S exposure and reduced balance among smokers (Sway area, mm2 [β = 38.7, P = 0.039], mean sway, mm [β = 0.3, P = 0.015]).
The observed trends and associations may be due to exposure peaks in certain work operations and pinpoint the importance of minimizing and avoiding exposure peaks, also when H2S time-weighted average measurements do not exceed an occupational exposure limit of 5 ppm.