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Category: Project

Description: Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to explore the breadth of literature across methods used to assess workers’ dermal exposures in occupational settings. These methods will be mapped and summarized by exposure assessment method types and chemicals/substances targeted and illustrated by trends in use over time. Ultimately, this will foster future work towards scientific consensus and standardization of dermal exposure assessment methods in occupational settings. Additionally, knowledge gaps will be identified for methods with sparse literature. Introduction: Occupational exposure limits are decreasing for airborne contaminants; the relative contributions of the dermal route are expected to become increasingly significant for total worker exposure. Yet, standardization and scientific consensus are needed for dermal exposure assessment methodologies in occupational settings. This is the first scoping review broadly reporting dermal exposure assessment methods across occupational settings and chemical/substance types. Inclusion criteria: The inclusion criteria broadly include studies reporting a dermal exposure assessment method used in an occupational setting to assess workers’ exposures. The literature search will be restricted to peer-reviewed, primary literature (i.e., proxy indicator for method popularity in occupational studies), studies performed in the last 20 years (2002-present), English language and with full texts available. Methods: Literature searches will be performed by a trained librarian using Web of Science and MEDLINE. Following a pilot test of the abstract screening process, all titles/abstracts will be dual independently screened against eligibility criteria using SWIFT active screener. For included articles, data charting will be performed by a single reviewer using a template and will include chemical(s)/substance(s) targeted, their state (e.g., vapor, liquid, solid) and dermal exposure assessment method type(s). Data will be summarized in tabular form and also presented as trends in method popularity over time.