| Summary: | 碩士 === 國防醫學院 === 公共衛生學研究所 === 101 === Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) is widely used in many kinds of touch panels nowadays. Workers could expose to ITO particles from sintering granules, splashing, pulverization, cutting, and grinding processes. Numerous studies have investigated that inhaled indium could be a potential cause of occupational lung diseases such as interstitial lung disease.
This study aimed to assess the relationship between ITO exposure and lung inflammation and oxidative damage in ITO workers.
166 indium exposed male workers from an ITO manufacturing plant in Taiwan were analysed in a cross-sectional study. Indium in serum (S-In) and urine (U-In) was determined as biomarkers of exposure. Serum clara cell protein (CC16), nitric oxide in exhaled breath (FeNO), urinary and plasma 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) were measured as inflammation and oxidative damage markers to health effects.
The geometric mean of S-In and U-In in high exposed group were 6.85μg/L and 2.87μg/L, were significantly higher than that in low exposed group, 0.42μg/L and 0.47μg/L respectively. After adjusting potential confounders, there was a positive association between S-In and serum CC16(β=0.74, 95%CI:0.12-1.37), urinary 8-OHdG(βunadjusted creatinine=0.06, 95%CI:0.01-0.10；βadjusted creatinine=0.04, 95%CI：0.01-0.07), and serum SOD(β=0.69, 95%CI：0.29-1.10). On the contrary, there was a negative association between S-In and GPx and ORAC but no statistic significant. Dose-response relations were found between S-In and CC16 (p=0.006), between S-In and urinary 8-OHdG (p=0.008) and between S-In and SOD(p=0.001).
The present study indicates a significant elevating trend of serum CC16, urinary 8-OHdG and SOD. CC16 may be an early and sensitive marker of lung damage result from indium exposure. Short-term exposure to indium may induce oxidative stress and rise SOD to balance it. Therefore, We concluded Indium particles exposure might be a occupational hazards in ITO workplace to cause lung inflammation and oxidative damage.
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