RESEARCH REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT OF A METHOD TO ASSESS BIOLOGICALLY RELEVANT DERMAL EXPOSURES.

HSE press release: E119:03 - 7 July 2003

The results of an attempt to develop a dermal sampler which will mimic the uptake of solvent through the skin, has been produced as a research report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Fraser Lindsay, John Cherrie and Alastair Robertson, at the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) in Edinburgh, investigated the feasibility of using a prototype sampler to measure biologically relevant dermal exposure to toluene, a common solvent which is used widely in industry.

Development of a Method to Assess Biologically Relevant Dermal Exposure, RR117, includes an evaluation of the sampler in a controlled, laboratory, situation and two field studies in workplace situations. These studies show that it is possible to produce a practical sampler, of simple construction, which is sufficiently robust to be used in workplace situations. IOM also observed a relationship between inhalation exposure and dermal exposure to toluene, depending on which part of the body the sampler was placed.

Occupational dermal exposure to hazardous substances is known to cause a variety of diseases, including skin cancer and dermatitis. The prevalence of occupational skin diseases in the UK is not known exactly, but there are probably many tens of thousands of workers affected. In addition, many chemicals such as pesticides and some solvents may pass into the body through unbroken skin. The diseases caused by dermal exposure, either alone or along with inhalation exposure, have important social and economic consequences for the country. However, there is little standardisation of techniques for sampling skin exposure.

The report concludes that, although there is further work to be done in refining the components of the sampler, the study demonstrates a real opportunity for developing a dermal exposure sampler that will mimic the sampling and transfer properties of the skin in relation to volatile inorganic compounds. This will be a valuable tool for assessing the risks to health from skin exposure to chemicals in the workplace.

Development of a method to assess biologically relevant dermal exposure, RR117, can be downloaded on the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/index.htm

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