Biomonitoring Of Co-exposure To Mixture Of Organic Solvents And Noise On Hearing Among Industry Workers

Abstract

Occupational exposure to noise and mixtures of organic solvents affects many workers in different sectors. The combined exposure of solvents and noise can negatively affect the auditory system. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of the combined exposure to noise and solvents on hearing in workers. Our study included 70 workers; we subdivided them into 3 groups according to their exposure status. The first group contained workers exposed only to noise, the second group contained workers exposed to solvents and the third group included workers exposed to both noise and mixture solvents. The results show that the workers are exposed to a both ototoxic substances and moderate to high levels noise. We deduce that the combined exposure to noise and solvents has a synergistic interaction which leads to an adverse interactive effect on hearing. Therefore, a suitable hearing protection program is advised that would contain short-interval audiometric examinations and efficient hearing protectors.