Dampness and 2-Ethyl-1-hexanol in Floor Construction of Rehabilitation Center: Health Effects in Staff

ABSTRACT

The authors evaluated changes of symptoms and biomarkers in health care staff (N = 18) for people with different physical dysfunctions and similarly in an external office control group in a nondamp building (N = 15). The first workplace had verified dampness in the floor construction, with formation of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol from water-based glue. Tear film break up time (BUT), nasal patency, biomarkers in nasal lavage (NAL), and dynamic spirometry were measured. Both buildings had low indoor air levels of CO₂ (510 to 630 ppm), low levels of respirable particles (6 to 7 μg/m³) and formaldehyde (<5 μg/m³), and no indication of microbial growth. Pronounced increase of butanols and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol levels were found in the damp floor material samples, but very low air levels of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol. The staff had been previously exposed to floor construction with alkaline degradation of floor glue, as well as formation of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol. This led to an increase in their ocular, nasal, and respiratory symptoms, a decrease in nasal patency, and slight airway obstruction after 2 days of reexposure, possibly related to neutrophilic inflammation, after a 4-month exposure-free period.

KEYWORDS:

• floor dampness
• myeloperoxidas (MPO)
• nasal patency
• respiratory symptoms
• tear film break up time (BUT)

Notes

^a Visual analogue rating scales 0 to 100 mm (Nihlen et al ¹⁵ )

^b Symptom rating at both times available from 15 subjects.

^c Calculated by Student's t test for paired comparison.

^d External control group of 15 office workers staying in the same workplace building during the week.

^e Calculated by Student's t test for 2 groups

^a SBUT, NAL-biomarkers, rhinometric data, and lung function data at both times available from 18, 16, 17, and 17 subjects, respectively.

^b Calculated by Student's t test for paired comparison for rhinometric and lung function parameters.

^c Calculated by Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test for BUT and NAL biomarkers.

^d Change in external control group of 15 office workers staying in the same workplace building during the week.

^e Calculated by Student's t test for 2 groups for rhinometric and lung function parameters.

^f Calculated by Mann-Whitney U-test for BUT and NAL biomarkers.