Skin barrier function alteration induced by noise and solvent exposure among aircraft maintenance workers

Purpose: This study was aimed to investigate whether the single exposure of noise, solvent, and co-exposure of noise and solvents alter skin barrier functions. Methods: Forty-four male airplane maintenance workers were recruited in this study in the middle of Taiwan. All subjects underwent skin barrier function tests, including basal transepidermal water loss (TEWL), basal water content (WC), skin barrier integrity, and skin barrier recovery. Results: We found that organic solvent exposure affected the stratum corneum superficially and raised the basal TEWL (6.1 g/m 2 /h (SD 0.8 g/m 2 /h) vs. 4.6 g/m 2 /h (SD 0.6 g/m 2 /h) in the solvent exposure group and control group, respectively (p < 0.01)). In addition, noise exposure showed the increasing pattern of barrier integrity (78.8 (SD 9.2) vs. 48.9 (SD 13.8) in noise exposure group and control group, respectively (p < 0.01)) and decreasing pattern of 6h recovery (20.4% (SD 5.6%) vs. 43.6% (SD 11.5%) in noise exposure group and control group, respectively (p < 0.01)). Conclusion: These results indicated that noise and solvent exposure might affect skin health or cause skin disorders among workers. Further study about the relationship between noise, solvent, and skin barrier function should point to potential mechanisms caused by stratum corneum exposures.