Volatile organic solvents in California nail salons: Personal air exposure findings

Background: Nail care products contain numerous volatile organic compounds (VOC's), which have been measured in nail salons at levels known to cause acute health symptoms among nail technicians. Nail salon workers are often low-income Vietnamese immigrants who have limited access to safety information and health care services. Methods: We measured VOC's in the breathing zone of 26 nail technicians in 8 San Francisco Bay Area nail salons using passive charcoal absorbent air diffusion monitors (3M OVM 3500). Three measurements were taken per worker of toluene, methyl methacrylate (MMA), and total VOC's (TVOC's) before, mid-way and after an owner-to-worker educational intervention promoting strategies to reduce chemical exposures. Results: Toluene levels ranged from 0.01 to 18 ppm with 45% of workers displaying decreased levels of toluene post-intervention. MMA levels ranged from 0.04 to 1014 ppm with a decrease seen in 75% of workers. TVOC levels ranged from 0.22 to 315 ppm with 55% of workers showing a decrease across measurements. Due to small numbers, results are not statistically significant. Conclusions: Some nail salon workers are exposed to levels of VOC's above permissible exposure limits set by the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA). Notably, MMA, a chemical banned for nail care use in California, was found in every salon in our study, and even measured at extraordinarily high levels in one salon. Further study is needed to examine factors influencing high levels of workplace VOC's and optimal strategies for reducing exposures in this workforce.