The Smell Function Disturbance in Textile Industrial Workers Exposed to Chlorine Gas

Abstract

Objective: Nasal olfactory parts which exposed to toxic agents can cause smelling disturbance. Chlorine is a chemical substance commonly used in the textile industry, to which factory workers are exposed. Materials and Methods:This research design was an analytic cross-sectional study aimed to compare the smelling function between textile industrial workers exposed to chlorine gas and those not exposed. The subjects were industrial workers exposed to chlorine gas and those not exposed during January until February 2013. The inclusion criteria for the chlorine exposed group were: a) age 20-55 years, b) worked in chlorine exposed area, and c) agree to participate in the study, while the not exposed group worked in the free chlorine area. Exclusion criteria were: a. suffered from rhinitis, b. history of head and nose trauma, c. history of rhinoplasty, d. history of smoking, and e. suffered from nasal tumor.All samples smelled using camphora, carbon disulfide, vanilla, menthol piperate, ether, capsaicin as standard tool in odor-free rooms. The statistical analyses used X 2 tests.Results: There were 80 workers consisting 40 worker each group. From the exposed group found 10 (25%) with the smell function disturbance and 30 (75%) normal, while the unexposed group 2 (5%) the smell function disturbance and 38 (95%) normal. These results are statistically significant differences (p = 0.012; RP: 6.333; 95% CI: 1.289-31.115). Conclusion:There was a significant difference in smelling function disturbance between workers exposed to chlorine and those not exposed to chlorine.