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Evaluation of Potential Exposure to Metals in Laundered Shop Towels

We reported in 2003 that exposure to metals on laundered shop towels (LSTs) could exceed toxicity criteria. New data from LSTs used by workers in North America document the continued presence of metals in freshly laundered towels. We assessed potential exposure to metals based on concentrations of m...

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Autores principales: Beyer, Leslie A., Greenberg, Grace, Beck, Barbara D.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Taylor & Francis 2013
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3877860/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24453472
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2013.770350
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author Beyer, Leslie A.
Greenberg, Grace
Beck, Barbara D.
author_facet Beyer, Leslie A.
Greenberg, Grace
Beck, Barbara D.
author_sort Beyer, Leslie A.
collection PubMed
description We reported in 2003 that exposure to metals on laundered shop towels (LSTs) could exceed toxicity criteria. New data from LSTs used by workers in North America document the continued presence of metals in freshly laundered towels. We assessed potential exposure to metals based on concentrations of metals on the LSTs, estimates of LST usage by employees, and the transfer of metals from LST-to-hand, hand-to-mouth, and LST-to-lip, under average- or high-exposure scenarios. Exposure estimates were compared to toxicity criteria. Under an average-exposure scenario (excluding metals' data outliers), exceedances of the California Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry toxicity criteria may occur for aluminum, cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, and lead. Calculated intakes for these metals were up to more than 400-fold higher (lead) than their respective toxicity criterion. For the high-exposure scenario, additional exceedances may occur, and high-exposure intakes were up to 1,170-fold higher (lead) than their respective toxicity criterion. A sensitivity analysis indicated that alternate plausible assumptions could increase or decrease the magnitude of exceedances, but were unlikely to eliminate certain exceedances, particularly for lead.
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spelling pubmed-38778602014-01-17 Evaluation of Potential Exposure to Metals in Laundered Shop Towels Beyer, Leslie A. Greenberg, Grace Beck, Barbara D. Hum Ecol Risk Assess Exposure Assessment Articles We reported in 2003 that exposure to metals on laundered shop towels (LSTs) could exceed toxicity criteria. New data from LSTs used by workers in North America document the continued presence of metals in freshly laundered towels. We assessed potential exposure to metals based on concentrations of metals on the LSTs, estimates of LST usage by employees, and the transfer of metals from LST-to-hand, hand-to-mouth, and LST-to-lip, under average- or high-exposure scenarios. Exposure estimates were compared to toxicity criteria. Under an average-exposure scenario (excluding metals' data outliers), exceedances of the California Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry toxicity criteria may occur for aluminum, cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, and lead. Calculated intakes for these metals were up to more than 400-fold higher (lead) than their respective toxicity criterion. For the high-exposure scenario, additional exceedances may occur, and high-exposure intakes were up to 1,170-fold higher (lead) than their respective toxicity criterion. A sensitivity analysis indicated that alternate plausible assumptions could increase or decrease the magnitude of exceedances, but were unlikely to eliminate certain exceedances, particularly for lead. Taylor & Francis 2013-10-11 2014-01 /pmc/articles/PMC3877860/ /pubmed/24453472 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2013.770350 Text en © Gradient http://www.informaworld.com/mpp/uploads/iopenaccess_tcs.pdf This is an open access article distributed under the Supplemental Terms and Conditions for iOpenAccess articles published in Taylor & Francis journals (http://www.informaworld.com/mpp/uploads/iopenaccess_tcs.pdf) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
spellingShingle Exposure Assessment Articles
Beyer, Leslie A.
Greenberg, Grace
Beck, Barbara D.
Evaluation of Potential Exposure to Metals in Laundered Shop Towels
title Evaluation of Potential Exposure to Metals in Laundered Shop Towels
title_full Evaluation of Potential Exposure to Metals in Laundered Shop Towels
title_fullStr Evaluation of Potential Exposure to Metals in Laundered Shop Towels
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of Potential Exposure to Metals in Laundered Shop Towels
title_short Evaluation of Potential Exposure to Metals in Laundered Shop Towels
title_sort evaluation of potential exposure to metals in laundered shop towels
topic Exposure Assessment Articles
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3877860/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24453472
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2013.770350
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