ArticleAnnals of work exposures and health2025
Characterizing workplace exposures to nano-TiO2 in Singapore: potential risks and mitigation strategies.
Article in Annals of work exposures and health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesEngineered nanomaterials (ENMs), particularly nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2), are widely used across industries in Singapore, raising concerns about potential worker exposure. This study aimed to quantify occupational exposures and emissions at workplaces handling nano-TiO2, assessing work practices, usage patterns and workplace controls.
methodsOccupational exposure to nano-TiO2 was assessed across 7 workplaces (laboratories, manufacturing, downstream application, and recycling). Methods for characterizing personal exposure included personal gravimetric sampling (NIOSH 0600), elemental analysis (NIOSH 7300), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while real-time particle number concentration (PNC) monitoring was done to understand the particle distribution in the workplace environment during the tasks performed. Workplace observations included measurement of dimensions of the work area, existing control measures (engineering, administrative, and personal protective equipment), nature of nano-TiO2 handling practices, forms, quantities, particle size, and state changes of the nano-TiO2 used.
resultsPersonal exposure samples were collected from 30 workers across workplaces. These include: 7 in laboratory, 10 in manufacturing, 6 in spraying, and 7 in shredding/recycling. Of these, 3 samples, collected during bulk loading and spraying activities, exceeded the NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) for ultrafine nano-TiO2 (0.3 mg/m3). Electron microscopy analysis of the samples exceeding the NIOSH REL for ultrafine nano-TiO2 during spraying revealed that the nano-TiO2 particles were predominantly in the size range of 80 to 147 nm. Respirable dust concentration and PNC were positively correlated for higher-risk activities, with peak PNC observed at the workplaces where spraying applications were performed.
conclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating nano-TiO2 workplace exposure in Singapore. Exposure levels were generally low, likely due to prevalence of small-scale and research-based applications but varied significantly across workplaces for activities such as spraying, bulk loading and manufacturing. Singapore's current regulatory approach (TR 73) establishes exposure limits but lacks specific guidance on control measures. A more holistic regulatory framework is needed, providing tailored recommendations for diverse workplace exposure scenarios.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.