The Annals of occupational hygiene最新文献

{"title":"Case-referent survey of young adults with mesothelioma: I. Lung fibre analyses.","authors":"J. Mcdonald, B. Armstrong, C. W. Edwards, A. Gibbs, H. Lloyd, F. Pooley, D. Ross, R. Rudd","doi":"10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.513","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.513","url":null,"abstract":"OBJECTIVES\u0000Our study aimed to determine the lung tissue concentration of asbestos and other mineral fibres by type and length in persons with mesothelioma aged 50 yr or less at time of diagnosis, compared to controls of similar age and geographical region. In this age group it was thought that most, but not all, work-related exposures would have been since 1970, when the importation of crocidolite, but not amosite, was virtually eliminated.\u0000\u0000\u0000METHODS\u0000Eligible cases were sought from recent reports by chest physicians to the SWORD occupational disease surveillance scheme. Lung tissue samples were obtained at autopsy from 69 male and four female cases, and mineral fibres identified, sized and counted by electron microscopy. Fibre concentrations per microg dry tissue were compared with similar estimates from a control series of autopsies of sudden or accidental deaths. Unadjusted, and adjusted odds ratios calculated by logistic regression, assessed relative risk in relation to fibre type, length and concentration.\u0000\u0000\u0000RESULTS\u0000Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios increased steadily with concentration of crocidolite, amosite, tremolite and all amphiboles combined. There was also some increase with chrysotile, but well short of statistical significance. Incremental risk examined in a linear model was as highly significant for all amphiboles together as individually. Short, medium and long amphibole fibres were all associated with increased risk in relation to length. Mullite and iron fibres were significant predictors of mesothelioma when considered without adjustment for confounding by amphiboles, but, after adjustment, were weak and far from statistically significant.\u0000\u0000\u0000CONCLUSIONS\u0000In this young age group, amosite and crocidolite fibres could account for about 80% of cases of mesothelioma, and tremolite for some 7%. The contribution of chrysotile, because of low biopersistence, cannot be reliably assessed at autopsy, but to the extent that tremolite is a valid marker, our results suggest that it was small. The steep linear trend in odds ratio shown by amphiboles combined indicates that their effects may be additive, with increased risk from the lowest detectable fibre level. Non-asbestos mineral fibres probably made no contribution to this disease. Contrary to expectation, however, some 90% of cases were in men who had started work before 1970; this was so whether or not amosite or crocidolite was found in lung tissue.","PeriodicalId":342592,"journal":{"name":"The Annals of occupational hygiene","volume":"27 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126836750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determinants of exposure to respirable quartz dust in the construction industry.","authors":"M. Lumens, T. Spee","doi":"10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.585","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.585","url":null,"abstract":"Because most masonry building materials contain quartz and because these materials are subjected to a variety of treatments during the building process, quartz is encountered everywhere in building operations. The level of exposure to respirable quartz has been measured for some highly exposed groups of employees. At 30 construction sites personal air sampling (PAS) measurements of respirable dust and quartz have been performed and 171 samples have been taken. Both respirable dust and quartz levels were high. Respirable quartz exposures of more than ten times the Dutch limit value of 0.075 mg/m(3) TWA were common, but exposures up to 200 times the Dutch limit value were also found. The measurements were task oriented. By statistical analysis the contribution of the different determinants to the total exposure has been identified. With this approach, directions for an effective control measures programme can be given.","PeriodicalId":342592,"journal":{"name":"The Annals of occupational hygiene","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117122302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Cr(VI) exposure on sperm quality: human and animal studies.","authors":"Hong Li, Qiong Chen, Shien Li, Wu Yao, L. Li, Xianglin Shi, Liying Wang, V. Castranova, V. Vallyathan, E. Ernst, Cheng Chen","doi":"10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.505","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.505","url":null,"abstract":"The semen status of male workers occupationally exposed to hexavalent chromium(VI) was investigated. Sperm counts from exposed workers were 47.05+/-2.13 x 10(6)/ml and those from control group 88.96+/-3.40 x 10(6)/ml. Sperm motility decreased from 81.92+/-0.41% for the control group to 69.71+/-0.93% for the exposed workers. The levels of zinc, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and lactate dehydrogenase C4 isoenzyme (LDH-x) in seminal plasma for the exposed workers were 1.48+/-0.07 micromol/ml, 1.05+/-0.02 x 10(3) U, and 0.47+/-0.01 x 10(3) U, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of 5.72+/-0.15 micromol/ml, 1.49+/-0.02 x 10(3) U, and 0.78+/-0.15 x 10(3) U for the control group, respectively. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) (7.34+/-0.34 x 10(-3) IU/ml) in serum from the exposed workers was significantly higher than that (2.41+/-0.08 x 10(-3) IU/ml) from the control group. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in semen volume, semen liquefaction time, luteinizing hormone (LH) level in serum, and Cr concentration in both serum and seminal plasma between the exposed workers and the control group. Feeding Cr(VI) to rats significantly reduced the epididymal sperm counts from 87.40+/-3.85 x 10(6)/g epididymis in control group to 21.40+/-1.20 x 10(6)/g epididymis at a CrO(3) dose of 10 mg/kg body weight and to 17.48+/-1.04 x 10(6)/g epididymis at a CrO(3) dose of 20 mg/kg body weight. Exposure of rats to Cr(VI) also significantly increased the sperm abnormality from 2.75+/-0.06% in the control group to 6.68+/-0.32% in the exposed group at a CrO(3) dose of 10 mg/kg body and to 7.6+/-0.15% at a CrO(3) dose of 20 mg/kg body weight. In exposed rats, there was visible disruption in germ cell arrangement near the walls of the seminiferous tubules. The diameters of seminiferous tubules in exposed rats were smaller. These results suggest that occupational exposure to chromium(VI) leads to alteration of semen status and may affect the reproductive success of exposed workers.","PeriodicalId":342592,"journal":{"name":"The Annals of occupational hygiene","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130653019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variations in exposure to inhalable wood dust in the Danish furniture industry. Within- and between-worker and factory components estimated from passive dust sampling.","authors":"P. Vinzents, V. Schlünssen, H. Feveile, I. Schaumburg","doi":"10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.603","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.603","url":null,"abstract":"Variability of exposure to wood dust at large factories in the Danish furniture industry was studied. Three repeated exposure measurements of 292 workers at 38 factories were included in the study. The measurements were carried out by use of personal passive dust monitors. The components of variance were estimated by means of a random effects ANOVA model. The ratio of within- to between-worker variance was 1.07. Based on this result, and three repeated exposure measurements, the observed relation between health outcome and exposure will be attenuated to 74% of the true value. Grouping by factory showed very poor exposure contrast, as the contrast in exposure level among factories was as low as 0.15.","PeriodicalId":342592,"journal":{"name":"The Annals of occupational hygiene","volume":"45 7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130183708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ultraviolet radiation emitted by CO(2) arc welding.","authors":"Tsutomu Okuno, Jun Ojima, Hiroyuki Saito","doi":"10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.597","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.597","url":null,"abstract":"The arcs associated with arc welding emit high levels of ultraviolet radiation (UVR), and this often causes acute injuries in the workplace, particularly photokeratoconjunctivitis. It is important to know the level of UVR emitted by arc welding under various conditions, as this information will help in evaluating potential UVR hazards in welding workplaces and taking protective measures against it. In this study, the ACGIH effective irradiance for UVR was measured experimentally for CO(2) arc welding in order to evaluate its UVR hazards. A welding robot was used in the experiment in order to realize reproducible and consistent welding operations. The effective irradiance at 1 m from the arc was in the range 0.28-7.85 W/m(2) (28-785 microW/cm(2)) under the study conditions. The corresponding permissible exposure time per day is only 4-100 s, suggesting that UVR from CO(2) arc welding is actually hazardous for the eye and skin. It was found that the effective irradiance is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the arc, is strongly dependent on the direction of emission from the arc with a maximum at 50-60 degrees from the plate surface, and tends to increase with welding current.","PeriodicalId":342592,"journal":{"name":"The Annals of occupational hygiene","volume":"34 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115067013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of exposure to organic dust in a hemp processing plant.","authors":"D. Fishwick, L. Allan, A. Wright, A. Curran","doi":"10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.577","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.577","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this preliminary study was to assess exposure to various constituents of the organic dust generated during the processing of hemp in a small group of exposed workers. Airborne levels of inhalable dust, endotoxin and soluble protein, and the respirable, thoracic and inhalable fractions of fungal, bacterial and actinomycete contamination were measured in the personal breathing zone of exposed workers. Inhalable dust, endotoxin, fungal and bacterial contamination all exceeded levels found in similar vegetable fibre processing factories, since inhalable dust levels ranged from 10.4 to 79.8 mg/m(3) and inhalable bacterial levels between 4.7 and 190 x 10(6) cfu/m(3). Soluble protein and endotoxin (r=0.99, P<0.0001), endotoxin and inhalable dust (r=0.94, P<0.005) and inhalable dust and protein (r=0.98, P<0.0001) were significantly correlated, suggesting that there was little variation in the composition of the dust from different sites or activities around the workplace. Andersen sampling gave an indication of background microbe levels, although no attempt was made to identify the specific microorganisms as all plates were significantly overgrown. Airborne assessments demonstrated that exposures were highly task specific. For example, sweeping the floor generated the highest exposure levels of total dust, protein, endotoxin, bacteria and fungi. Therefore, we have shown that a modern-day hemp fibre processing plant produces significant quantities of respirable dust which is highly contaminated with endotoxin and microorganisms. This organic dust has the potential to cause a range of ill health problems.","PeriodicalId":342592,"journal":{"name":"The Annals of occupational hygiene","volume":"59 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127591509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Case-referent survey of young adults with mesothelioma: II. Occupational analyses.","authors":"J. Mcdonald, C. W. Edwards, A. Gibbs, H. M. Lloyd, F. Pooley, D. Ross, R. Rudd","doi":"10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.519","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.519","url":null,"abstract":"OBJECTIVES\u0000Our study aimed to identify occupations at increased risk of developing mesothelioma in persons aged 50 yr or less, and to relate these occupations to lung tissue concentration of asbestos fibres by type. In this age group it was thought that most, but not all, work-related exposures would have been since 1970, when the importation of crocidolite, but not amosite, was virtually eliminated.\u0000\u0000\u0000METHODS\u0000Eligible cases were sought from recent reports by chest physicians to the SWORD occupational disease surveillance scheme. Work histories were obtained for 115 men and 13 women, usually with the help of the chest physicians or coroners. Jobs were coded by the Office of National Statistics, so that the observed years spent in each occupation could be compared with expected values from census data, 1960-90. Lung tissue samples were obtained at autopsy from 69 male and four female cases, and mineral fibres identified, sized and counted by electron microscopy.\u0000\u0000\u0000RESULTS\u0000Of 37 industrial occupations analysed, odds ratios were significantly raised in eight: five in the construction industry and the others in shipbuilding, the manufacture of cement products and the manufacture of non-metallic mineral products (including asbestos). The concentrations in lung of crocidolite and amosite fibres, which together could account for 80-90% of cases, did not differ between occupational categories; those for amosite were appreciably higher than for crocidolite. Tremolite fibres were rarely found.\u0000\u0000\u0000CONCLUSION\u0000Mesothelioma in this young age group is dominated by carpenters, plumbers, electricians and insulators in the construction industry, and is mainly attributable to amphibole exposure. Work in shipbuilding and manufacture of mineral products was less important than in earlier studies. Contrary to expectation, however, some 90% of cases were in men who had started work before 1970.","PeriodicalId":342592,"journal":{"name":"The Annals of occupational hygiene","volume":"45 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128428664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A model for predicting endotoxin concentrations in metalworking fluid sumps in small machine shops.","authors":"Donguk Park, K. Teschke, K. Bartlett","doi":"10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.569","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ANNHYG/45.7.569","url":null,"abstract":"METHODS\u0000In British Columbia, Canada, nineteen small machine shops which used water-based metalworking fluids (MWF) were examined. One bulk MWF sample was taken from each independent sump (N=140) and tested for endotoxin using the Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate assay. Factors that might influence the MWF sump endotoxin concentration were investigated using mixed effect multiple regression modelling to control for repeated measures within shops.\u0000\u0000\u0000RESULTS\u0000The geometric mean (GM) endotoxin concentration was 6791 EU/ml. Contamination of MWF with tramp oil, MWF pH, MWF temperature, and MWF type were significant predictors of sump fluid endotoxin concentration (model P=0.0001, ordinary least squares R(2) =0.36). Concentrations of endotoxin in sump fluids were increased by MWF contamination with tramp oils such as hydraulic oils, preservative oils, spindle oils, slidway lubricants, gear lubricants, and greases (model predicted GM=17400 EU/ml vs. 1600 EU/ml without tramp oil). Concentrations were also elevated where pH was lower than 8.5 (predicted GM=10600, vs 3600 EU/ml for pH 8.5 to 9.5), where soluble fluids were used (predicted GM=11800 vs. 2800 EU/ml for synthetic fluids), and where sump fluid temperatures were higher (predicted GM=2600 EU/ml at 11 degrees C vs. 21500 EU/ml at 32 degrees C). The within-shop correlation of sump bulk fluid endotoxin concentrations was 38%.\u0000\u0000\u0000CONCLUSIONS\u0000Minimizing tramp oil contamination, using synthetic fluids, and monitoring pH and temperature would be valuable tools for controlling endotoxin contamination in MWF sumps. In addition, since there was correlation within-shop, contamination of one sump in a shop may suggest changing the fluids in all.","PeriodicalId":342592,"journal":{"name":"The Annals of occupational hygiene","volume":"4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132227221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sampling and detection of Legionella pneumophila aerosols generated from an industrial cooling tower.","authors":"S. Ishimatsu, Hiroshi Miyamoto, Hajime Hori, Isamu Tanaka, Shin-ichi Yoshida","doi":"10.1093/ANNHYG/45.6.421","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ANNHYG/45.6.421","url":null,"abstract":"Cooling tower water has frequently been cited as a source of infection in outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease. However, there have been few reports on the presence of legionellae in aerosols from cooling towers. This paper describes our use of an impinger or a six-stage microbial impactor for detecting legionellae in air around a cooling tower contaminated with L. pneumophila (1.2+/-0.3x10(5) CFU/100 ml). Phosphate-buffered saline, Page's saline, 2% yeast extract solution and buffered yeast extract (BYE) broth were tested to evaluate their collection efficiency. These solutions were compared in laboratory experiments using an aerosol of L. pneumophila serogroup (SG) 1. Because BYE broth was the most efficient and storable collecting fluid among them, it was used for outdoor air sampling. In the outdoor air sampling, aerosolized L. pneumophila SG 6 was detected in the air around the cooling tower by the impinger (0.09 CFU/l. air). No legionellae were detected by the impactor with Legionella-selective agar plates (WYOalpha) because the plates were overgrown with fungi. Repetitive element PCR (rep-PCR) and arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) were employed to assess the epidemiological relationship among Legionella isolates from the air sample and the cooling tower water samples. L. pneumophila SG 6 isolated from the aerosols produced rep-PCR and AP-PCR fingerprints identical to those of L. pneumophila SG 6 strains from the cooling tower water, suggesting that the bacterium was aerosolized from the cooling tower.","PeriodicalId":342592,"journal":{"name":"The Annals of occupational hygiene","volume":"22 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132048239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Asbestos lung fibre concentrations in South African chrysotile mine workers.","authors":"David Rees, James I. Phillips, E. Garton, Fred D. Pooley","doi":"10.1093/ANNHYG/45.6.473","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ANNHYG/45.6.473","url":null,"abstract":"Mesothelioma has not been found in South African chrysotile miners and millers despite decades of producing about 100000 tons of the mineral per year. One possible explanation for the scarcity or absence of the cancer may be a relative lack of contaminating fibrous tremolite, an amphibole that variably occurs with chrysotile ores. The fibre content in the lungs of nine former chrysotile mine workers was ascertained by transmission electron microscopy. Despite fairly long service in most cases (median 9.5 yr; range 32-4 yr) the concentrations of chrysotile fibres were relatively low: only two cases exceeded 1.14 million fibres/g dried lung. Tremolite fibre levels were even lower: less than 1 million fibres/g dried lung in all but one case. Tremolite fibre concentrations exceeded those of chrysotile in only two cases. These results support the contention that South African chrysotile is not heavily contaminated by tremolite.","PeriodicalId":342592,"journal":{"name":"The Annals of occupational hygiene","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125548631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}