Erika Zardin

Objective: This cross-sectional study assesses cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in industrial rotating night shift and day workers. Methods: We examined 27 day workers; 40 night shift workers with high and 34 with low night loads. We assessed sleep, blood pressure (BP), pulse wave velocity (PWV), carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max), glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), lipids, focusing on inflammatory markers, and adipokines. Results: High load night shift workers had higher inflammation and lower adiponectin level compared to other shift workers and day workers. Night shifts of 8 and 12 hours shortened sleep. Number of night shifts was positively associated with inflammatory markers and negatively associated with adiponectin. Conclusions: Night shift work is associated with CVD risk factors. Shift schedules with fewer night shifts and longer recovery periods could mitigate it. Export

A pilot-scale non-thermal plasma unit (NTP) and a UV-C photolysis unit for industrial emission control were integrated in the wind tunnel facility at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and characterized employing propene as model VOC. The experiments were monitored by high-resolution Proton-Transfer-Reaction Time-of-Flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS), and the results show that gas phase chemistry in the NTP discharge strongly resembles the naturally occurring OH radical-induced oxidation in the Earth’s atmosphere – the main products being formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, and hydroxy acetone. A chemical box model, based on a well-established atmospheric oxidation mechanism, reproduces the experimental results and allows identification of chemical ‘hot-spots’ in the system.

Objective: Previously, we have found increased carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) among shift workers compared to day workers in industry, and a decline in maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O_2max) in all 86 workers. Methods: Utilizing all available measurements in 2018, 2021, and 2022, this study investigated associations between V̇O_2max and measures of arterial stiffness. Using a mixed model approach, we analyzed the cross-sectional association between all V̇O_2max (outcome) and measures of arterial stiffness (covariates). Results: We observed a significant association between V̇O_2max and cfPWV of −1.59 (95% confidence interval [CI], −3.03 to −0.16), and between augmentation pressure (AP) and augmentation index (Aix) of −0.32 (95% CI, −0.58 to −0.06) and −0.12 (95% CI, –0.23 to −0.005), respectively. Conclusions: We found a significant negative association between cardiorespiratory fitness and measures of arterial stiffness. The former and present results pose challenges for shift workers' future macrovascular and microvascular health.

Diesel engine exhaust (DE) consists of a complex mixture of gases and aerosols, originating from sources such as engines, turbines, and power generators. It is composed of a wide range of toxic compounds ranging from constituents that are irritating to those that are carcinogenic. The purposes of this work were to characterise DE originating from different engine types on a ship operating offshore, and to quantify the potential exposure of workers on the ship’s helicopter deck to select DE compounds. Sampling was conducted on a Norwegian Nansen-class frigate that included helicopter operations. Frigate engines and generators were fueled by marine diesel oil, while the helicopter engine was fueled by high flash point kerosene-type aviation fuel. Exhaust samples were collected directly from the stack of the diesel engine and one of the diesel generator exhaust stacks, inside a gas turbine exhaust stack, and at the exhaust outlet of the helicopter. To characterise the different exhausts sources, non-targeted screening of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds was performed for multiple chemical classes. Some of the compounds detected at the sources are known irritants, such as: phthalic anhydride, 2,5-dyphenyl-p-benzoquinone, styrene, cinnoline, and phenyl maleic anhydride. The exhaust from the diesel engine and diesel generator were found to contain the highest amounts of particulate matter and gaseous compounds, while the gas turbine had the lowest emissions. Personal exposure samples were collected outdoors in the breathing zone of a helicopter deck operator over nine working shifts, simultaneously with stationary measurements on the helicopter deck. Elemental carbon, nitrogen dioxide, and several volatile organic compounds known to be present in DE, such as formaldehyde, acrolein and phenol were specifically targeted. Measured DE exposures of the crew on the helicopter deck were variable, but less than the current European occupational exposure limits for all compounds, except elemental carbon, in which concentration varied between 0.5 to 37 µg/m³ over nine work shifts. These findings are among the first published for this type of working environment.

Aim: To assess changes in blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness among 84 rotating shift and 25 dayworkers (control subjects) at two industrial plants during a 4-year follow-up, and to assess changes in outcome variables among shift workers at the two plants after a reduction in the number of night shifts during the last year of follow-up in one of the plants. Methods: We collected demographic data using a questionnaire, examined systolic and diastolic blood pressure (sBP, dBP), central systolic and diastolic aorta pressure (cSP, cDP), augmentation pressure (AP), central pulse pressure (cPP), and pulse wave velocity (PWV). We registered sleep quality. The last 4–14 months of follow-up one plant implemented a 12-week shift plan reducing the total number of night shifts and consecutive night shifts from 16.8 to 14 and from 7.2 to 4. To assess differences in change of outcomes between study groups we applied linear mixed models. Results: The dayworkers were older, more hypertensive, reported less sleep disturbance, and smoked/snuffed less than the shift workers did. The adjusted annual increase in PWV was 0.34 m/s (95%CI, 0.22, 0.46) among shift workers and 0.09 m/s (95%CI, −0.05, 0.23) in dayworkers, yielding a significant difference of change of 0.25 m/s (95%CI, 0.06, 0.43). No significant differences were found between the two groups of shift workers in any cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcome during the last year of follow-up. Conclusions: Shift work in industry is associated with arterial stiffness, reflecting an increased risk of future CVD. No significant changes in arterial stiffness were identified as a consequence of a small reduction in the number of night shifts and consecutive night shifts.