Occupational Health Issues Related to Nitroglycerin Exposure: Requirements forProtective Gloves and Development of a Biological Exposure Index

摘要

Current practices with respect to protective gloves at Army ammunition plantsthat manufacture and incorporate nitroglycerin (NG) have been identified. The availability of alternative and presumably superior gloves has been examined. A literature review with respect to exposure indices suggests that it may be possible to monitor nitroglycerin exposure with NG and/or its metabolites in plasma and urine but that further research would be necessary before any of these options could be realized. Urinary NG metabolites represent the best prospect for biological monitoring since urine is easier to collect than plasma and is not complicated by factors such as the site of collection, which must be considered for blood. Before urine could be used for biological monitoring, human studies of the characteristics of metabolites and the time course of their appearance in urine during dermal exposure under controlled conditions would be necessary. Other studies must be performed to establish a biological exposure limit for the chosen metabolite(s). nitroglycerin, biological exposure index, toxicology, protective gloves, skin exposure.