vapeshop worker exposure study
TRANSCRIPT
Vape ShopWorkerExposureStudy
KathleenAttfield,ScDDivisionofEnvironmentalandOccupationalDiseaseControl
CaliforniaDepartmentofPublicHealth
ExpandingResearchPartnershipsConferenceJune22,2017
Whyanoccupationalhealthinterestine-cigarettes?
• 2casesofworkplaceasthmaexacerbationreported
• PreviousCAstudiesondiacetyl-exposedflavoringworkersandlungdisease
• InvitationtojoinNIOSHonvape shopinvestigationinNewJersey
Diacetyl
What’sthehealthconcern?• E-liquidscontain:
– Nicotine– Flavorings– Carriersolvents(glycerinandpropyleneglycol)
• Emissionsnot“justwatervapor”– Thermalbreakdownproductsincludeformaldehydeandotheraldehydes
– Diacetyl&2,3-pentanediolofteninliquids– Untestedflavorchemicals–Metals
What’sthehealthconcern?
• Nicotinepoisoningviaskincontact
• Untilrecently,completelyunregulatedproducts
• Lackoffieldstudies
Studyquestions
• Currentworkplaceconditionsinvapeshops?
• Airandsurfaceconcentrationsofchemicals?
• Doworkersexperiencesymptoms?
• Whatdoemployersandemployeesknowaboutworkplacerisks?
• Whatcanbedonetoimprovehealthandsafety?
Prioritiesforselectingshops• Rangeofshopsizes
• Geographicdiversityin9-countySFBayArea
• Highnumberofcustomersperweek
• Socializing/hang-outarea
• Mixinge-liquidsonsite
Recruitmentofshops• In-personvisits,often
multiple
• Individualandshopsamplingresults
• Customizedhealthandsafetyrecommendations
• Overallfindings
• 6additionalshopsforinterviews
Investigations
Sixall-dayon-siteinvestigationsinpartnershipwithNIOSHbetweenNov.2016andFeb.2017
• Observationsofworkpracticesandconditions• Interviewswithemployersandemployees• Chemicalsampling
Chemicalsampling
• Airsampling– Formaldehydeandotherthermaldegradationproducts
– Butteryflavors:diacetyl,2,3-pentanedione
– VOCs– Nicotine– Carriersolvents– Particulates
• Dustwipesamplingformetals
• Bulke-liquids
Shopcharacteristics
• Ofteninstripmallsadjacenttoothersmallbusinesses
• 1-5employeesperday• Hazyconditionsthenorm• Only3hadHVAC,2usedit
– Opendoors,fansalsoused
Exposuresources
• Allworkersvapedduringtheirshifts,creatingmuchofthehaze
• ~25%ofcustomersvapedinstore
• 32-91customers/day
Shopactivities• Customerssampledproductsatmostshops
• Employeesmostlydidnotbuild coilsorfixdevices
• 1shopmixedanddispensedcustomizedproducts
Employeeinterviews
• 13/16reportedvapingmoreatwork– Samplednewflavors– Createdwelcomingenvironment
• 4/6shopstrainedonnicotinesafetybutnototherchemicalhazards
• Nonereportedsymptoms,exceptperceivedimprovementsfromreducingtobaccosmoking
• Concerns:batterysafety,e-liquidingredients
Breakdownproducts(Preliminary)
• Formaldehydeconcentrations~RELof16ppb– Afewexceeding– Concentrations@RELcommonforindoorair
• Acetaldehydedetectedinsomefull-shiftpersonalsamples
• Noglycidol detectedinareasamples
Butteryflavors(Preliminary)
E-liquids• Diacetyldetectedinmajority• 2,3-Pentanedionedetectedin~25%
Diacetyl
2,3-Pentanedione
2,3-Hexanedione
Acetoin
Butteryflavors(Preliminary)
Personalsamples• Diacetyldetectedinsomeatlevels<REL
• 2,3-Pentanedionedetectedinsome– OnesampleexceededtheREL
• 2,3-Hexanedionenotdetected
• Acetoindetectedinsome
Diacetyl
2,3-Pentanedione
2,3-Hexanedione
Acetoin
Butteryflavors(Preliminary)
Tasksample– mixing(19min)• 2,3-pentanedioneconcentrationsseveraltimes>REL
• Acetoinalsodetected.
Diacetyl
2,3-Pentanedione
2,3-Hexanedione
Acetoin
Otherflavoringsandimpurities
• Otherflavorchemicalsdetected– Benzaldehyde– Cinnamaldehyde– d-Limonene– 79more…
• Alsoimpurities:methylenechlorideusedincinnamonextraction
Healthandsafetyconsiderations• DevelopInjuryandIllnessPreventionPlans
– HazardCommunication• Improveventilation• UseglovesandotherPPE• Institutecleaningprotocols• Requestinformationone-liquidingredients
Acknowledgements
CDPHDEODC
• BarbaraMaterna• RickKreutzer• MarleyZalay• JeffFowles• KazukiyoKumagai• PingWang• WenhaoChen• JustineWeinberg
NIOSH• LenZwack• RyanLebouf• EricGlassford• StephenJackson
Participatingvape shopownersandemployees
Thank you for your interest!Questions?
Kathleen Attfield, [email protected] Dept. of Public HealthDivision of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control