Michela Agostini

Publications of Michela Agostini

• Assessment of dermal exposure to bitumen condensate among road paving and mastic crews with an observational method.

  Authors: Michela Agostini, Wouter Fransman, Frank De Vocht, Berna Van Wendel de Joode, Hans Kromhout

  The Annals of occupational hygiene. 05/2011; 55(6):578-90.

  To assess dermal exposure to bitumen condensate among road pavers and indoor mastic workers in multiple crews using a semi-quantitative observational method [DeRmal Exposure Assessment MethodTo assess dermal exposure to bitumen condensate among road pavers and indoor mastic workers in multiple crews using a semi-quantitative observational method [DeRmal Exposure Assessment Method (DREAM)]. Two skilled observers assessed dermal exposure to bitumen condensate among 85 asphalt workers from 12 crews from nine companies active within four European countries using the DREAM methodology, which produces an estimate of exposure expressed in dimensionless DREAM units. Both observers independently evaluated each crew member's job (N = 14 jobs) for road paving and mastic applications. Potential and actual dermal exposures were estimated for hands and for the rest of the body separately, taking into account the effect of protective clothing. To evaluate the reproducibility of the observational method intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were estimated. The exposures in DREAM units were modelled using linear mixed models to estimate average relative scores for each job. Correlations between dermal exposure parameters were evaluated by estimating Pearson correlation coefficients. A total of 170 observations were completed by two observers independently (n = 118 and n = 52 for 59 road pavers and 26 mastic workers, respectively) in 11 days. The mean ICCs (for potential and actual exposure in DREAM units) varied between 0.74 and 0.80 with values for actual units being slightly higher. Geometric mean potential dermal exposure units of mastic workers were higher than for road pavers (factor 3 for hands and factor 4 for rest of the body). Differences for actual dermal exposure units were smaller for hands (factor 2) and larger for actual exposure units of rest of the body (factor 5). Differences in dermal exposure at the hands between jobs within a paving crew were much larger than between jobs within a mastic crew. Within paving crews, a consistent pattern for all exposure units emerged with 'screed man' and 'raker' as the two highest exposed jobs. Within mastic crews, 'driver dumper truck' and 'spreader of mastic' were scored as the two jobs with the highest exposure units. Potential and actual exposure units were highly correlated. Hands were more profoundly exposed than the rest of the body, with transfer from contaminated surface to the hands as the most important route. DREAM observations were reproducible and showed a consistent dermal exposure pattern among the observed crews. The study provided a clear picture of dermal exposure among road pavers and indoor mastic workers, with the mastic workers being considerably more highly exposed. The most important route of exposure appeared to be transferred from contaminated surfaces to the hands.

• A case-control study of lung cancer nested in a cohort of European asphalt workers.

  Authors: Ann Olsson, Hans Kromhout, Michela Agostini, Johnni Hansen, Christina Funch Lassen, Christoffer Johansen, Kristina Kjaerheim, Sverre Langård, Isabelle Stücker, Wolfgang Ahrens, Thomas Behrens, Marja-Liisa Lindbohm, Pirjo Heikkilä, Dick Heederik, Lützen Portengen, Judith Shaham, Gilles Ferro, Frank de Vocht, Igor Burstyn, Paolo Boffetta

  Environmental health perspectives. 10/2010; 118(10):1418-24.

  We conducted a nested case-control study in a cohort of European asphalt workers in which an increase in lung cancer risk has been reported among workers exposed to airborne bitumen fume, althoughWe conducted a nested case-control study in a cohort of European asphalt workers in which an increase in lung cancer risk has been reported among workers exposed to airborne bitumen fume, although potential bias and confounding were not fully addressed. We investigated the contribution of exposure to bitumen, other occupational agents, and tobacco smoking to the risk of lung cancer among asphalt workers. Cases were cohort members in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Israel who had died of lung cancer between 1980 and the end of follow-up (2002-2005). Controls were individually matched in a 3:1 ratio to cases on year of birth and country. We derived exposure estimates for bitumen fume and condensate, organic vapor, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as for asbestos, crystalline silica, diesel motor exhaust, and coal tar. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for ever-exposure, duration, average exposure, and cumulative exposure after adjusting for tobacco smoking and exposure to coal tar. A total of 433 cases and 1,253 controls were included in the analysis. The OR was 1.12 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.84-1.49] for inhalation exposure to bitumen fume and 1.17 (95% CI, 0.88-1.56) for dermal exposure to bitumen condensate. No significant trend was observed between lung cancer risk and duration, average exposure, or cumulative exposure to bitumen fume or condensate. We found no consistent evidence of an association between indicators of either inhalation or dermal exposure to bitumen and lung cancer risk. A sizable proportion of the excess mortality from lung cancer relative to the general population observed in the earlier cohort phase is likely attributable to high tobacco consumption and possibly to coal tar exposure, whereas other occupational agents do not appear to play an important role.

• Exposure assessment for a nested case-control study of lung cancer among European asphalt workers.

  Authors: Michela Agostini, Gilles Ferro, Ann Olsson, Igor Burstyn, Frank De Vocht, Johnni Hansen, Christina Funch Lassen, Christoffer Johansen, Kristina Kjaerheim, Sverre Langard, Isabelle Stucker, Wolfgang Ahrens, Thomas Behrens, Marja-Liisa Lindbohm, Pirjo Heikkilä, Dick Heederik, Lützen Portengen, Judith Shaham, Paolo Boffetta, Hans Kromhout

  The Annals of occupational hygiene. 10/2010; 54(7):813-23.

  Development of a method for retrospective assessment of exposure to bitumen fume, bitumen condensate, organic vapour, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and co-exposures to known or suspected lungDevelopment of a method for retrospective assessment of exposure to bitumen fume, bitumen condensate, organic vapour, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and co-exposures to known or suspected lung carcinogens for a nested case-control study of lung cancer mortality among European asphalt workers. Company questionnaires and structured questionnaires used in interviews and industry-specific job-exposure matrices (JEMs) were elaborated and applied. Three sources of information were eventually used for exposure assessment and assignment: (i) data obtained in cohort phase, (ii) data from living subjects, next-of-kin, and fellow-workers questionnaires, and (iii) JEMs for bitumen exposure by inhalation and via skin and co-exposures to known or suspected lung carcinogens within and outside cohort companies. Inhalation and dermal exposure estimates for bitumen were adjusted for time trends, time spent in a job, and other determinants of exposure (e.g. oil gravel paving). Clothing patterns, personal protective devices, and personal hygiene were taken into consideration while estimating dermal exposure. Occupational exposures could be assessed for 433 cases and 1253 controls for relevant time periods. Only 43% of work histories were spent inside original asphalt and construction companies. A total of 95.8% of job periods in cohort companies could be coded at a more detailed level. Imputation of work time and 'hygienic behaviour' multipliers was needed for <10% of work history years. Overall, downward trends in exposure were present and differences existed between countries and companies. As expected, correlations were strongest (r > 0.7) among bitumen-related agents, while correlations between coal tar, bitumen-related agents, and established lung carcinogens were weaker (r < 0.4). A systematic and detailed approach was developed to estimate inhalation and dermal exposure for a nested case-control study among asphalt workers.

• Exposure to rubber process dust and fume since 1970s in the United Kingdom; influence of origin of measurement data.

  Authors: Michela Agostini, Frank de Vocht, Martie van Tongeren, John W Cherrie, Karen S Galea, Hans Kromhout

  Journal of environmental monitoring : JEM. 05/2010; 12(5):1170-8.

  The objective of this study was to compare measured concentrations of rubber process dust and rubber fume originating from different sources in the British rubber manufacturing industry. Almost 8000The objective of this study was to compare measured concentrations of rubber process dust and rubber fume originating from different sources in the British rubber manufacturing industry. Almost 8000 exposure measurements were obtained from industry-based survey results collected by the British Rubber Manufacturers' Association (BRMA), and covering the years 1977 to 2002, and from a series of small surveys contained in the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) National Exposure Database (HSE-NEDB) from 1980 to 2002. The analysis investigated temporal trends in the exposure concentrations and the underlying main factors responsible for these changes. Analyses were carried out using hierarchical linear mixed effects models. Average personal exposures to rubber process dust and rubber fumes were respectively a factor 2 and 4 higher for the HSE-NEDB data when compared to data originating from the industry (BRMA data). Personal exposure to rubber process dust decreased on average by 4.1% (95% CI 4.7-3.6) annually for the BRMA data and slightly less at 2.3% (95% CI 5.2-0.7%) per annum for the HSE-NEDB data. Personal exposure to rubber fume also showed a downward temporal trend of 2.9% (95% CI 3.6-2.3%) and 4.8% (95% CI 7.4-2.1%) annually for the BRMA and HSE-NEDB data, respectively. These trends differed considerably between departments. No major changes in the estimated temporal trends in exposure concentrations were observed after including the presence of local exhaust ventilation in the models for any department in the BRMA and HSE-NEDB datasets. Lack of information on the quality and status of the local exhaust ventilation is the most likely explanation for this. In conclusion, even though there were relatively similar downward time trends in both rubber process dust and fume concentrations in both datasets, the source of exposure data was an important determinant of average exposure concentrations present in the British rubber manufacturing industry. Lack of detailed auxiliary information on company size, reason for sampling, measurement strategy and other potentially important determinants of exposure prevented an explanation for the observed differences in exposure level.