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Haematological effects among silk screening workers exposed to 2-ethoxy ethyl acetate
  1. C-H Loh1,
  2. T-S Shih2,
  3. S-H Liou3,
  4. Y-C Lin4,
  5. A-T Hsieh1,
  6. C-Y Chen2,
  7. G-D Liao3
  1. 1Department of Family Medicine & Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Nei-Hu, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
  2. 2Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs, Shi-Jr, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
  3. 3Department of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Nei-Hu, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
  4. 4Institute of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr C-H Loh, Department of Family Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, 325, Cheng-Kung Rd., Sec. 2, Nei-Hu, Taipei, Taiwan, 114, Republic of China; 
 twdoc{at}ndmctsgh.edu.tw

Abstract

Background: 2-Ethoxy ethyl acetate (2-EEA) is a solvent with broad industrial and commercial applications. It has been reported to cause hematological toxicity, infertility, and teratogenesis.

Aims: To investigate the haematological effects in 2-EEA exposed workers.

Methods: Workers from one silk screening shop (n = 29), using 2-EEA as the major cleaning and printing solvent, were recruited as a high exposure group. Workers with indirect and non-exposure to 2-EEA (n = 56) were recruited as the comparison group. Venous blood was collected for blood routine examination. Air concentration of 2-EEA in this plant was measured by eight hour personal sampling.

Results: The geometric mean (GM) of air concentration of 2-EEA in the high exposure group was 7.41 ppm (range 1.35–16.5 pppm). The mean exposure of female workers (GM = 9.34 ppm) was significantly higher than that of male workers (GM = 4.87 ppm). The GM of air 2-EEA concentration in the comparison group was 0.07 ppm (range: non-detectable to 3.62 ppm, n = 26). The haemoglobin and haematocrit in the female high 2-EEA exposure workers were significantly lower than those of female workers in the comparison group. No difference was found between male 2-EEA high exposure and comparison group workers. The haemoglobin, haematocrit, and RBC count in the study population had a significant dose-response relation with air 2-EEA levels.

Conclusion: Results suggest that 2-EEA is a haematological toxicant, which leads to anaemic status in high exposure female workers.

  • 2-EEA
  • environmental monitoring
  • haematological toxicity
  • 2-EEA, 2-ethoxy ethyl acetate
  • EGE, ethylene glycol ether
  • GM, geometric mean
  • GSD, geometric standard deviation
  • MCH, mean corpuscular haemoglobin
  • MCHC, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration
  • MCV, mean corpuscular volume
  • MIBK, methyl isobutyl ketone
  • PEL, permissible exposure limit
  • RBC, red blood cells
  • TWA, time weighted average
  • WBC, white blood cells

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