The aim of this study was to establish and identify the health effect markers of workers with potential exposure to nanoparticles (20–100 nm) during manufacturing and/or application of nanomaterials. For this cross-sectional study, we recruited 227 workers who handled nanomaterials and 137 workers for comparison who did not from 14 plants in Taiwan. A questionnaire was used to collect data on exposure status, demographics, and potential confounders. The health effect markers were measured in the medical laboratory. Control banding from the Nanotool Risk Level Matrix was used to categorize the exposure risk levels of the workers. The results showed that the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD) in risk level 1 (RL1) and risk level 2 (RL2) workers was significantly (p RL1 > RL2). Another antioxidant, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), was significantly lower only in RL1 workers than in the control workers. The cardiovascular markers, fibrinogen and ICAM (intercellular adhesion molecule), were significantly higher in RL2 workers than in controls and a significant dose–response with an increasing trend was found for these two cardiovascular markers. Another cardiovascular marker, interleukin-6, was significantly increased among RL1 workers, but not among RL2 workers. The accuracy rate for remembering 7-digits and reciting them backwards was significantly lower in RL2 workers (OR = 0.48) than in controls and a significantly reversed gradient was also found for the correct rate of backward memory (OR = 0.90 for RL1, OR = 0.48 for RL2, p Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; Cardiovascular diseases; Control banding; Cross-sectional study; Environmental and health effects; Genotoxicity; Lung inflammation; Nanoparticle; Oxidative stress; Pulmonary function; Risk levels Document Type: Research Article DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11051-012-0878-5 Affiliations: 1: Division of Environmental Health & Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan Town, Miaoli County, 35053, Taiwan, ROC, Email: shliou@nhri.org.tw 2: Division of Environmental Health & Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan Town, Miaoli County, 35053, Taiwan, ROC 3: Department of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC 4: Department of Chemistry, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC 5: Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC 6: Institute of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University and Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC Publication date: August 1, 2012 $(document).ready(function() { var shortdescription = $(".originaldescription").text().replace(/\\&/g, '&').replace(/\\, '<').replace(/\\>/g, '>').replace(/\\t/g, ' ').replace(/\\n/g, ''); if (shortdescription.length > 350){ shortdescription = "" + shortdescription.substring(0,250) + "... more"; } $(".descriptionitem").prepend(shortdescription); $(".shortdescription a").click(function() { $(".shortdescription").hide(); $(".originaldescription").slideDown(); return false; }); }); Related content In this: publication By this: publisher In this Subject: Nuclear Physics By this author: Liou, Saou-Hsing ; Tsou, Tsui-Chun ; Wang, Shu-Li ; Li, Lih-Ann ; Chiang, Hung-Che ; Li, Wan-Fen ; Lin, Pin-Pin ; Lai, Ching-Huang ; Lee, Hui-Ling ; Lin, Ming-Hsiu ; Hsu, Jin-Huei ; Chen, Chiou-Rong ; Shih, Tung-Sheng ; Liao, Hui-Yi ; Chung, Yu-Teh GA_googleFillSlot("Horizontal_banner_bottom");