Health risks of pest control and disinfection workers after the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea  

作　　者：Yun-Hee Choi Da-An Huh Lita Kim Sang ji Lee Kyong Whan Moon 

机构地区：[1]Department of Health and Safety Convergence Science,Korea University,Anam-ro 145,Seongbuk-gu,Seoul 02841,South Korea [2]BK21 FOUR R&E Center for Learning Health System,Korea University,Anam-ro 145,Seongbuk-gu,Seoul 02841,South Korea [3]Institute of Sciences,Korea University,Anam-ro 145,Seongbuk-gu,Seoul 02841,South Korea [4]Department of Health and Environmental Science,Korea University,Anam-ro 145,Seongbuk-gu,Seoul 02841,South Korea

出　　处：《Journal of Environmental Sciences》2024年第5期350-363,共14页环境科学学报（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT)(No.NRF-2021R1F1A1063967)。

摘　　要：The exposure patterns of pest control and disinfection workers have changed after the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)outbreak,but the health risks of chemical exposure have not been assessed.We identified these workers’chemical exposure patterns and risks before and after the COVID-19 outbreak.We used data conducted between 2018(pre-pandemic)and 2021(post-pandemic)from three-year cross-sectional surveys on pest control and disinfection workers.Inhalation and dermal exposure concentrations were estimated using equations based on a biocidal product risk assessment model from the Korean National Institute of Environmental Research.The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of chemicals were calculated using the United States Environmental Protection Agency risk assessment model.We found that the annual work frequency(50^(th)percentile)of foggers using disinfectants increased the most among all the work types,from 140 uses/year to 176 uses/year after the COVID-19 outbreak.Moreover,all chemicals’non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks increased regardless of exposure routes.In the worst scenario(95^(th)percentile),the margin of exposure for citric acid,benzethonium chloride,benzyl-C12-16-alkyldimethyl chlorides,and sodium chlorite of inhalation exposure,and isopropyl alcohol and benzyl-C12-16-alkyldimethyl chlorides of dermal exposure were acceptable(>100)before the COVID-19outbreak but became unacceptable(<100)after the COVID-19 outbreak.Carcinogenic risks of dichlorvos from inhalation and dermal exposure were above acceptable levels(>10^(-6))before and after the COVID-19 outbreak but comparatively high after the COVID-19 outbreak.Additionally,significantly more workers experienced health symptoms after the COVID-19outbreak(p<0.05),with the most common being muscle lethargy(31%),skin/face stinging(28.7%),and breath shortness/neck pain(24.1%).

关 键 词：BIOCIDE DISINFECTION Health risk assessment Occupational exposure Pest control 

分 类 号：R187[医药卫生—流行病学]