Monitoring fine particles and nanoparticles at the workplace - the role of biomarkers and alternative tools

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Exposure to ambient fine and ultrafine particles, including nanomaterials, has been linked to various health effects such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The World Health Organization considers that occupational exposure to carcinogens accounts for about 8% of lung cancers and exposure to airborne particulates accounts for 12% of deaths due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. My program aims at developing new methodology to assess exposure to airborne particles at the workplace in order to help health and safety professionals make informed decision on workers' protection. My program has three main objectives: 1) to develop user friendly decision support systems to predict workers' exposure, and make it available to workers and health and safety professionals through web-based tools; 2) to develop standard methods for the collection and analysis of airborne nanomaterials at the workplace; and 3) to assess the use of chemicals in biological fluids as markers of exposure to airborne particles. Collecting and analyzing samples is time consuming and expensive. Often, small workplaces and independent workers cannot afford to measure exposure to airborne contaminants. Web-based tools can complement workplace monitoring and help workers and health and safety professionals make informed decisions on the use of additional protection. Similarly, biological fluids are easier to collect and more representative on the dose received than air samples. Therefore, chemicals in biological fluids maybe be more representative of real exposure. Developing new standard methods are necessary for health and safety professionals to determine exposure to airborne nanomaterials as there is currently only one existing method. My program can help workers and health and safety professionals determine or estimate exposure and make informed decision on the type of protection needed. It will help reduce workers' exposure to toxic airborne particles, thus reducing the occurrence of respiratory diseases due to workplace exposure. Finally, it will help reduce costs associated with these respiratory diseases.