Haematological and spermatotoxic effects of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether in copper clad laminate factories
Tung-Sheng Shiha, An-Tsz Hsiehb, Guo-Dong Liaob, Yeong-Hwang Chenb, Saou-Hsing Lioub
a Institute of
Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs, Taipei,
Taiwan, Republic of China, b Department of Public Health, National Defense
Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
Correspondence to: Dr Saou-Hsing Liou, Department of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, PO Box 90048-509, Nein Hu, Taipei, Taiwan 100, Republic of China
Accepted 15 October
1999
OBJECTIVES
To
investigate the effects of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) on
haematology and reproduction in exposed workers.
METHODS53
Impregnation workers from two factories that make copper clad laminate
with EGME as a solvent were recruited as the exposed group. Another
group of 121 lamination workers with indirect exposure to EGME was
recruited as the control group. Environmental monitoring of
concentrations of EGME in air and biological monitoring of urinary
methoxyacetic acid (MAA) concentrations were performed. Venous blood
was collected for routine and biochemical analyses. Semen was collected
from 14 workers exposed to EGME for sperm analysis and was compared
with 13 control workers.
RESULTSResults of
haematological examination showed that the haemoglobin, packed cell
volume, and red blood cell count in the male workers exposed to EGME
were significantly lower than in the controls. The frequency of anaemia
in the exposed group (26.1%) was significantly higher than in the
control group (3.2%). However, no differences were found between the
female workers exposed and not exposed to EGME. After adjustment for
sex, body mass index, and duration of employment, red blood cell count
was significantly negatively associated with air concentrations of
EGME, and haemoglobin, packed cell volume, and red blood cell count
were significantly negatively associated with urinary concentrations of
MAA. The pH of semen in the exposed workers was significantly lower
than in the control workers, but there were no significant differences
in the sperm count or sperm morphology between the exposed and control groups.
CONCLUSIONIt can be
concluded that EGME is a haematological toxin, which leads to anaemia
in the exposed workers. However, the data from this study did not
support the theory of a spermatotoxic effect of EGME.
Keywords: ethylene glycol monomethyl ether; haematological disorders; spermatotoxicity
© 2000 by Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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