Occupational exposure to inhaled nanoparticles: Are young workers being left in the dust?

Abstract

Objectives: Occupational exposure to inhaled nanoparticles (NPs) represents a significant concern for worker health. Adolescent workers may face unique risks for exposure and resulting health effects when compared with adult workers.

Methods: This manuscript discusses key differences in risks for occupational exposures to inhaled NPs and resulting health effects between young workers and adult workers via an examination of both physiological and occupational setting factors.

Results: Previous studies document how adolescents often face distinct and unique exposure scenarios to occupational hazards when compared to adults. Moreover, they also face different and unpredictable health effects because biological functions such as detoxification pathways and neurological mechanisms are still developing well into late adolescence. Early exposure also increases the chances of developing long-latency disease earlier in life. Taken together, adolescents' rapid growth and development encompasses highly dynamic and complex processes. An aggravating factor is that these processes do not necessarily fall in line with legal classifications of adulthood, nor with occupational exposure limits created for adult workers.

Conclusions: The differences in exposures and health consequences from NPs on young workers are insufficiently understood. Research is needed to better understand what adolescent-specific mitigation strategies may be most suitable to address these risk factors.

Keywords: adolescent; airborne particles; inhaled exposure; vulnerable workers.