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Occupational exposure and mortality among workers at three titanium dioxide plants
Elizabeth D Ellis1, Janice P Watkins, William G Tankersley
1Center for Epidemiologic Research, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-0117, USA. Betsy.Ellis@orau.org
American Journal of Industrial Medicine
|November 13, 2012
Summary
This study found no increased risk of death from all causes, cancers, or heart disease in titanium dioxide workers. Occupational exposure to titanium dioxide did not correlate with increased disease risk.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Environmental Epidemiology
- Toxicology
Background:
- A cohort of 3,607 workers from three titanium dioxide production facilities was monitored from 1935 to 2006.
- Long-term health outcomes associated with occupational exposures were investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the relationship between occupational exposure to titanium dioxide and mortality.
- To compare mortality rates within the cohort to the general US population and other worker groups.
- To examine dose-response relationships between exposure levels and specific causes of death.
Main Methods:
- Cohort mortality analysis comparing plant-specific and combined data to US population and other DuPont employees.
- Poisson regression was used to investigate associations between causes of death and cumulative exposure to titanium dioxide and chloride.
- Analysis examined trends in disease risk with increasing exposure levels.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant elevation in mortality from any cause was observed when compared to the general US population.
- Elevated Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) for all causes, all cancers, and lung cancers were noted in the oldest plant when compared to other DuPont workers.
- No increase in disease risk was detected with increasing levels of cumulative exposure.
Conclusions:
- The study found no evidence of a positive association between occupational exposure to titanium dioxide and mortality from all causes, all cancers, or lung cancers.
- No link was established between exposure and non-malignant respiratory disease or all heart disease.
- Findings suggest that occupational exposure in this cohort did not lead to increased mortality from major disease categories.
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