Methods to assess dermal exposures in occupational settings: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Environmental Health
• Toxicology

Background:

• Dermal exposure is increasingly significant for workers as inhalation limits decrease.
• Standardization of occupational exposure assessment methods and scientific consensus are currently lacking.
• This is the first scoping review to map literature on all dermal exposure assessment methods in occupational settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map the existing literature on dermal exposure assessment methods used in occupational settings.
• To identify commonly assessed substances and the methods employed for their assessment.
• To highlight gaps in the current literature regarding specific chemicals and exposure scenarios.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted in Web of Science and MEDLINE.
• Eligibility criteria included studies reporting noninvasive dermal exposure assessment methods in occupational settings, published between 2002-2022.
• Scoping review methodology following JBI and PRISMA-ScR guidelines was utilized for data charting and analysis.

Main Results:

• 493 articles were analyzed, categorized into methods development, exposure assessment, health outcomes, and controls assessment.
• Biomarkers (51%), dosimeters (21%), and qualitative assessments (17%) were the most common dermal exposure assessment methods.
• Pesticides (28%) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (22%) were the most frequently studied substances, with specific gaps identified for cleaning agents, hair dyes, and other chemicals.

Conclusions:

• Standardization in reporting exposure assessment methods, worker tasking, substance details, and exposure routes is crucial for scientific consensus.
• This review provides a comprehensive categorization and scope of the literature on occupational dermal exposure assessment.
• Further research is needed to address identified literature gaps for specific chemicals and exposure scenarios.