Preliminary Investigation of the Symptoms of Nanotechnology Companies Employees in Tehran, Iran, 2018

Abstract

Background and Objective: Nowadays, the possibility to use nanomaterials due to their size and unique characteristics in various fields of science and technology is provided. On the other hand, these unique properties have raised many concerns about the potential effects of nanomaterials on human and the environment. Occupational exposure is the most prevalent way of human confrontation with nanomaterials. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the symptoms of the employees of nanotechnology companies in Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: At first, a questionnaire on non-specific symptoms was designed and validated by a group of specialists. Then, nanotechnology companies were identified and the questionnaires were provided for the employees of these companies. Finally, the data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22). Results: The obtained results of the present study showed that the designed questionnaire had a good validity and reliability. The employees' average age of less than 34 years and the average work experience of less than 7 years indicates that nanotechnology is a young field of science in our country. The findings of the current study showed that the frequency of skin symptoms (e.g., roughness, itching, and redness), respiratory symptoms (e.g., coughing, sneezing, and sore throat), and ocular symptoms (e.g., burning, itching, and redness) were relatively high among the employees of the nanotechnology companies. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that the frequency of some symptoms were high among the employees of the companies under investigation. Therefore, it is necessary to implement control measures to reduce the employees' confrontation with nanomaterials.

Keywords

• nanomaterials; nanotechnology companies; nonspecific symptoms questionnaire; occupational exposure