Issue 1, 2009

Potential dermal exposure to methyl methacrylate among dental technicians; variability and determinants in a field study

Abstract

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) is a commonly used chemical in dental work that can cause dermatitis. Nineteen dental technicians participated in a field study in which potential dermal exposure to MMA and exposure determinants, including glove use and MMA vapour in the breathing zone, were repeatedly monitored during three consecutive days. Using patches placed on various parts of their hands we observed that the fingers and palms of the dental technicians were exposed to MMA, and their forefingers were significantly more exposed than their ring fingers; this is based on pooled data for both left and right hands (p = 0.04). The exposure variability was greater between workers than within worker (i.e. day-to-day variability), but the between worker variability was to some extent explained by a model which included the tested determinants. Neither the amount of MMA vapours in the breathing zone nor glove use was consistently correlated with the dermal exposure. Thus, the effects of glove use and the distribution of exposure to MMA on the hands in working environments needs to be further investigated.

Graphical abstract: Potential dermal exposure to methyl methacrylate among dental technicians; variability and determinants in a field study

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
18 Jun 2008
Accepted
27 Oct 2008
First published
19 Nov 2008

J. Environ. Monit., 2009,11, 160-165

Potential dermal exposure to methyl methacrylate among dental technicians; variability and determinants in a field study

I. E. Liljelind, A. Hagenbjörk-Gustafsson and L. O. Nilsson, J. Environ. Monit., 2009, 11, 160 DOI: 10.1039/B810355K

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