Exposure of hospital workers to airborne antineoplastic agents
Practices for handling antineoplastic drugs were surveyed, and ambient-air sampling for four antineoplastic agents was conducted in outpatient oncology clinics. A questionnaire was administered in 1981 to the nurse or pharmacist in charge of drug preparation at 10 hospital oncology clinics. At three sites, air samples were collected during working hours in medication-preparation rooms and nearby offices. The air-sampling pumps contained filters at breathing-zone height; room air was drawn through each filter for 40 hours. Extracts from the filters were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide in seven sets of samples and methotrexate and doxorubicin in five sets of samples. Mass spectrometry (MS) was used to confirm detection of fluorouracil. Total use of each monitored drug was recorded at each site. Nine clinics had no ventilation hood, and drugs were prepared by nurses in eight clinics. Routine use of gloves (three clinics) and masks (one clinic) was uncommon, and wastes were disposed of in uncovered receptacles in four of the clinics. Eating and drinking occurred in seven of the preparation rooms. At the main air-sampling site, fluorouracil (0.12-82.26 ng/cu m) was detected in air during 200 of the 320 hours monitored. Cyclophosphamide (370 ng/cu m) was present during 80 hours. In the two other sites, fluorouracil was detected by HPLC but not confirmed by MS, and no cyclophosphamide was detected. No detectable amounts of methotrexate and doxorubicin were present. Fluorouracil was the most frequently used drug, and cyclophosphamide was second. Results suggest that personnel handling antineoplastic drugs are subject to potential systemic absorption of these agents by inhalation.
- Research Organization:
- School of Public Health, University of Illinois
- OSTI ID:
- 5900626
- Journal Information:
- Am. J. Hosp. Pharm.; (United States), Vol. 40:4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
ANTINEOPLASTIC DRUGS
AIR POLLUTION
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
MEDICAL PERSONNEL
HEALTH HAZARDS
AIR
AIR SAMPLERS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ENDOXAN
FLUOROURACILS
HOSPITALS
METHOTREXATE
SAMPLING
ALKYLATING AGENTS
ANTIMETABOLITES
AZINES
BUILDINGS
DRUGS
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
GASES
HAZARDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS
MEDICAL CENTERS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
POLLUTION
PYRIMIDINES
SAFETY
SAMPLERS
URACILS
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
570000 - Health & Safety