| IN THE NAME OF GOD | | | | -Whether MDI produces sensitization in human |
| Dear Sir, | | | | being by pharmacological or immune mechanisms |
| Tank you very much for publishing my paper in | | | | needs to be elucidated with a view to determining |
| your journal as " LETTERS TO THE EDITOR". | | | | whether restrictions placed on the employment of |
| Yours sincerely | | | | a topic subject, in areas where MDI is produced |
| Hosaiun - Ali karbasi | | | | or used, are justified. |
| LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | | | | -Studies are required to determine whether |
| A Evaluation of Workers’ Exposure to | | | | diisocyanates have embryo toxic and teratogenic |
| Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate (MDI) in an | | | | properties or induce adverse reproductive effects |
| Automobile Manufacturing Company, Iran | | | | at current exposure levels. |
| Hossein Kakooei, Seyed Jamaleddin Shahtaheri, | | | | -Further environmental levels of MDI in the |
| Hossein-Ali Karbasi | | | | neighborhood of sources and to collect ecotoxicity |
| Evaluation of personal inhalation exposure to | | | | data. |
| methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) among 39 | | | | -Additional animal carcinogenicity testing using the |
| employees,working in the window fixation and | | | | Inhalation route should be carried out. |
| window glue processes in an automobile | | | | -The greatest priority should be given to safe |
| manufacturing company was performed. This | | | | methods of use, and the education, training and |
| study was conducted for both case and control | | | | supervision of operatives. |
| groups. After sampling and sample preparation | | | | References: |
| processes,MDI was determined with a UV-VIS | | | | 1) Herbert-FA, Hessel-PA, Melenka-LS, Yoshida-K, |
| spectrophotometer at 590 nm; the lung function | | | | Nakaza-M, Pulmonaryeffects of simultaneous |
| was assessed with a digital spirometer, too. The | | | | exposures to MDI formaldehyde and wood dust |
| average concentration of MDI in the window | | | | on workers in an oriented strand board plant. J- |
| fixation, and window glue workplaces were 34.53 | | | | Occup -Environ-Med. 1995 Apr, 37(4), 461-5. |
| and 27.37 μg/m³, respectively, which was | | | | 2) Adams W.G.F .Brochhangen, Health problems in |
| lower than the threshold limit value (TLV) | | | | the industrial use of diisocyanates, plastic &rubber |
| recommended by the American Hygienists | | | | Institute Conference Urethane &The Environment |
| (ACGIH) (51 μg/m³). Respiratory symptoms in | | | | London 21-22.Sep.1976. |
| the exposed group were significantly different | | | | 3)Ehrlicher.H,Brochhagen.,F.K,Health problems in the |
| Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists | | | | industrial use of isocyanates,plastic&rubber |
| (ACGIH) (51 μg/m³). Respiratory symptoms in | | | | Institute Conference Urethane &The Environment |
| the exposed group were significantly different | | | | London 21-22.Sep.1976. |
| compared to the unexposed group (p < .05).Lung | | | | 4) Occupational Safety and Health Administration |
| capacities in the case group were lower than in | | | | OSHA Analytical Methods Manual Salt city Utha, |
| the control group (p 80). | | | | 1990 |
| -The performance test of regression analysis | | | | 5)MDHS 25 Organic Isocyanates in Air {Methods |
| showed to related factors such as Age, Height | | | | for the Determination of Hazardous substances |
| and Years of work. | | | | March 1987} |
| -Sampling and analysis airborne isocyanates are a | | | | 6)Baur – X , Marek -W,Ammon - J,Czuppon |
| challenging problem, however, the areas that feel | | | | -A,Marcynski-B,Raulf -Heimsoth-M:Respiratory and |
| need more research include: | | | | other hazards of |
| - Resolution of the correct sampling technique | | | | 3):141-52. |
| needed to characterize isocyanate in air. | | | | Hosain-ali Karbasi 1) |
| -Simulation and modules systems studies are | | | | (MSPH OCCOUP. HEALTH) |
| required on occupational groups for whom reliable | | | | Hosain Kakoei 2) |
| exposure levels are available, to address. | | | | ( PhD OCCOUP. HEALTH ) |
| - The question of cancer, and to evaluate | | | | Said Jelaladin Shah-Taheri 2) |
| potential long - term human hazard under current | | | | (PhD OCCOUP. HEALTH) |
| standards of good working practice Because it is | | | | Said Gholam-Abas Mosavi3) |
| not possible to reach confident conclusions from | | | | (MSPH STATIS. HEALTH) |
| data on the neurotoxicity of MDI | | | | Said Akabar Sharifian4) |
| ,neurophysiological and behavioral studies should be | | | | ( M.D. OCCOUP. M. ) |
| carried out on asymptomatic workers exposed at | | | | Davar- Khah Rabani3) |
| current hygien standards. | | | | (PhD ENVIRON. HEALTH ENG.) |
| -For the foreseeable future, exposed workers | | | | 1) Kashan university of medical sciences, SETAD |
| require health monitoring by systematic symptom | | | | Abuzar St. kashan, Iran (). |
| enquiry and by standardized measurement of | | | | 2) Tehran university of medical sciences, Health |
| ventilatory function, with subsequent analysis of | | | | Faculty |
| trends in individual, and group mean, values. | | | | (School Of Public Health and Institute Of Public |
| -Further metabolic studies of a qualitative and | | | | Health(shahtaheri@tums.ac.ir)(). |
| quantitative nature are required with a view to | | | | Research), Enghab St.Ghods St. Pore-Sina St. |
| developing methods of measuring MDI uptake and | | | | Tehran University, Tehran, Iran. |
| monitoring exposure. | | | | 3) Kashan university of medical sciences, Health |
| -Appropriate sampling strategies, together with | | | | Faculty |
| existing analytical methods, have to be developed | | | | Gotbe-Ravandi St. kashan, Iran. |
| and used to obtain better information about | | | | 4) Tehran university of medical sciences, medical |
| exposure, special attention should be given to the | | | | Faculty, |
| detection and characterization of peak values. | | | | Enghab St.Ghods St. Pore-Sina St. Tehran |
| -The results of these analyses should be | | | | University, |
| evaluated in parallel with careful health studies. | | | | Tehran, Iran. |