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Occupational Medicine 2004 54(7):469-474; doi:10.1093/occmed/kqh101
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Occupational Medicine Vol. 54 No. 7 © Society of Occupational Medicine 2004; all rights reserved

Olfactory loss in poly (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) plastic injection-moulding workers

Shu-Fang Cheng1,2, Mei-Lien Chen1, Po-Chen Hung2, Chiou-Jong Chen2, I-Fang Mao1 and

1 Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
2 Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs, Executive Yuan, Taipei, Taiwan.

Background

Plastics manufacturing factories are the fifth largest category of factories in industrial estates in Taiwan. It is known that complex airborne compounds and pungent odours are emitted during plastic injection-moulding processes. Workers exposed to acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) thermal decomposition products (TDP) may have olfactory loss.

Aims

This study examined olfactory loss in injection-moulding workers exposed to ABS TDP.

Methods

The method recommended by the Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) was used to test the olfactory function of subjects, including 1-butanol threshold and odour identification, both preand post-work. The study sample included 52 ABS plastic injection-moulding workers (exposed group), as well as 72 workers from other departments (reference group).

Results

The results revealed that the exposed group had lower olfactory function after work than the reference group. The decrease in olfactory function after 1 workday was statistically significant. The prevalence of abnormal olfactory function post-work in the exposed group was higher than in the reference group.

Conclusions

The findings of this study implied the ABS plastic injection-moulding process may worsen olfactory function among workers. Notably, this effect decreased olfactory threshold scores, not odour identification scores.

Keywords      1-Butanol threshold test; odour identification test; olfactory function; plastic injection-moulding process

Received       13 May 2003
Revised          5 February 2004
Accepted       15 June 2004

Correspondence to: Dr I-Fang Mao, Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, 155 Li-Nong Street, Sec. 2, Taipei 112, Taiwan. Fax: +886-2-28278254; e-mail: chengsf{at}mail.iosh.gov.tw


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