Assessment of task-based exposures that may affect reproductive health in nail salon employees

National Institute Of Environmental Health Sciences

Investigators

Abstract

Chemicals found in nail polish, including adhesives, solvents and other volatile organic compounds and plasticizers have been linked to adverse maternal and developmental outcomes such as gestational diabetes, birth defects, and miscarriage. Several studies have assessed airborne exposures and reported measurable concentrations in personal and/or area samples in nail salons of toluene, formaldehyde, triphenyl phosphate, and ethyl and butyl acetate. Despite limited human epidemiologic evidence directly associating chemical exposures to reproductive outcomes, work as a nail technician has repeatedly been linked to adverse maternal outcomes including miscarriage, developmental disorders, and birth defects. Studies that have sought to evaluate exposures experienced by nail technicians often do not collect information on specific tasks performed by manicurists during their shifts or focus primarily on nail polish application rather than the full range of solvents and chemicals found and used in salons. To evaluate the potential for reproductive harm caused by occupational exposures in nail salons, it will be necessary to measure the exposures of the different tasks nail technicians perform multiple times a day while working full-time, even if they are well below OELs, rather than just high-level exposures resulting in acute health effects from a mixture of chemicals. The goal of this study is to better understand a nail technician’s exposure profile to select reproductive toxicants by evaluating the contributions of different tasks. This study began in FY23 and the focus has been completion of the human subjects research protocol for IRB review. IRB submission is anticipated either at the end of FY23 or early FY24. Early efforts to begin recruitment are also underway and the Principal Investigator has connected with individuals who are able to disseminate study information to salon owners who may be interested in participating including the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology and a nail educator and host of a podcast centered on providing nail services. A contract with a community-based organization in the Philadelphia area is being established and will assist in recruiting salons and shaping the study to meet the needs of the study population, of which a majority are Vietnamese immigrants.