Although byssinosis in jute mill workers remains controversial, studies in a few jute mills in West-Bengal, India, revealed typical byssinotic syndrome associated with acute changes in FEV 1 on the first working day after rest. The present study on 148 jute mill workers is reported to confirm the occurrence of byssinosis in jute mill workers. Work related respiratory symptoms; acute and chronic pulmonary function changes among exposed workers were studied on the basis of standard questionnaire and spirometric method along with dust level, particle mass size distributions and gram-negative bacterial endotoxins. The pulmonary function test ( The evaluation of the occurrence of byssinosis by clinical symptomatic (work related) study and the pattern of changes of pre-shift and post-shift ventilatory pulmonary function tests were made recently. The etiological factors responsible for the onset of the disease was also studied and the results of both the studies were reported 2,3) . The prevalence of obstructive, restrictive and mixed type of functional impairment of the lung was found to have direct relation with the dust concentrations and duration of exposure 1,4,5) . The evidence of byssinosis like syndromes and the ventilatory
This study focused work-exposure to particulate matter ≤ 10 µm (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and biological monitoring of major VOCs (BTEX) to observe the significant effects of traffic related pollutants on respiratory and hematological systems of workers engaged in two occupational settings, petrol pumps and traffic areas of Kolkata metropolitan city, India. PM was assessed by personal sampling and particle size distribution by 8-stage Cascade Impactor. VOCs were analysed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and five urinary metabolites, trans trans- mercapturic acid (tt-MA), S-phenyl mercapturic acid (SPMA), hippuric acid (HA), mandelic acid (MA) and methyl hippuric acid (MHA) of VOCs, benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylenes (BTEX) by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Pulmonary functions test (PFT) was measured Spirometrically. ∂-aminoleavulinic acid (ALA) and porphobilinogen (PBG) in lymphocytes were measured spectrophometrically following column chromatographic separation. High exposure to PM, having 50% of particles, ≤ 5.0 µm in both the occupational settings. Exposure to toluene was highest in petrol pumps whereas benzene was highest (104.6 ± 99.0 μg m) for traffic police personnel. Workplace Benzene is found many fold higher than the National ambient standard. Air-benzene is correlated significantly with pre- and post-shift tt-MA (p < 0.001) and SPMA (p < 0.001) of exposed workers. Blood cell counts indicated benzene induced hematotoxicity. ALA and PBG accumulation in lymphocytes indicated alteration in heme-metabolism, especially among traffic police. Significant reduction of force exploratory volume in one second (FEV) and forced vital capacity (FVC) of fuel fillers are observed with increased tt-MA and SPMA. Study revealed PFT impairments 11.11% (6.66% restrictive and 2.22% obstructive and combined restrictive and obstructive type, each) among petrol pumps and 8.3% obstructive type among traffic police.
Grain storage depot workers suffer from different respiratory problems after getting the exposure to storage grain dust. Which is a mixture of pesticides, fungi, silica, bacteria, spores, storage mites, animal hairs, pollens etc. The present study was under taken to evaluate the fungal spore concentration in summer and winter season as well as the pulmonary function status of the workers; studies are limited in our country. In summer and winter seasons, air sampling was done to measure the airborne fungal spore concentration inside the godowns by Rotorod sampler, UK. Aspergilla, Alternaria, Drechslera, Epicoccum, Nigrospora, Periconia were very much common and found higher in winter compared to summer. The respiratory functional status was assessed in two groups of workers of the same storage grain depot (total n=316) in summer (n=136) and in winter (n=180). List of the workers was collected from the authority and randomly selected every alternate worker and divide them for the studies in summer and winter seasons. Slow Vital Capacity (SVC), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) were recorded and Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV 1 ), FEV 1 % and different flow rates were calculated. The Immunoglobulin-E (IgE) level in the blood serum was assessed on post shift pulmonary function tests (PFT) decreased workers. The age, height and weight of the same categories of workers of both studies are highly comparable. Mean PFT values in summer found higher than winter. A gradual decrement of values were found as age was increased but not with duration of exposure. Post-shift PFT was carried in 21.8% (69) workers of which 46.4% (32) workers showed the decrement of values. The serum IgE level of the post-shift PFT decreased subjects was found more than 250 IU/ ml in 53.1% (17) workers. Restrictive, obstructive and combined types of respiratory impairments were noticed among the workers. Presence of different spores in varying concentration in the working atmosphere may be responsible for the post shift decrement of PFT, allergic symptoms, high IgE level and respiratory impairments among the workers.
Particulate matter less than PM(10) and aromatic chemicals formed during incomplete combustion of organic matter are major environmental pollutants because of their toxic potential. The present study reports on the respiratory morbidity pattern of people exposed to auto exhaust as a result of the traffic load consisting of three varieties of vehicles (heavy, medium, and light) at three different points: North (B), South (E), and Central (C) regions of Kolkata, India. Particle size distribution was analyzed by an Anderson cascade impactor and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed by sorbent tube and capillary gas chromatography with flame ionization detector. Levels of VOCs, particularly benzene and toluene (at B, 15.2 and 20.1 microg/m(3); at E, 67.4 and 74.6 microg/m(3), and at C, 40.7 and 61.3 microg/m(3), respectively), were found to be appreciably high in three sites in Kolkata compared with the values reported by the U.S. EPA. PM(10) concentrations also have been found to be higher than the Central Pollution Control Board of India's permissible standard (=10 microm: B, 535.9; E, 909.2; C, 1114.5 microg/m(3); <10-3.3 microm: B, 269.8 microg/m(3); E, 460.1; C, 679.2 microg/m(3); and <3.3-0.4 microm: B, 266.1; E, 449.1; C, 435.3 microg/m(3)). Pulmonary function tests (PFT) of 505 inhabitants were performed in the three different areas using Spirovit SP-10 and Wrights peak flowmeter. The traffic load in the vicinity supported the occurrence of higher respiratory functional deterioration. PFT status showed restrictive (3.76%), obstructive (3.17%), and combined restrictive and obstructive types (1.98%) of impairment. Higher restrictive impairments in males might be due to their combined occupational and environmental exposures. The rate of increase of the number of vehicles on the roads of the city adds to the risk of greater problems due to exposure to hazardous substances that are less than PM(10), in particular, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and VOCs.
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