Pulmonary function in aluminium smelter and surrounding community--a case study.

The increase of industrial activities in the Angul-Talcher area, Orissa resulted in indiscriminate disposal of waste into the environment leading to the deterioration of the quality of the environment, which affects the health of the workers as well as the community people. Considering the magnitude of the problem, the pulmonary function study had been carried out in one of the largest aluminium producing plant of the country as well as surrounding community people. Aluminium is produced from oxides of alumina by Hall-Heroult smelting process. The electrolysis called as aluminium smelting is carried out in an electrolytic cell (pot) having anode, cathode and electrolyte. The aluminium is deposited in the cathode and the oxygen moves towards anode is released. The workers working at the captive power plant (CPP), which is necessary to meet the power demand of the smelter plant were also investigated. 180 smelter plants workers (non-smoker 129, smoker-51) of different sections and 37 captive power plant workers (non-smoker 29, smoker-8) had undergone pulmonary function tests. Besides these, 85 persons from the surrounding community (non-smoker-66, smoker-19) were also investigated. The workers were all male. Spirometric assessments of Vital Capacity (VC), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) were done by Spirovit-sp-10 (Schiller Health Care Ltd, Switzerland) and Wrights Peak flow meter (Clement and Clarke, UK). Different lung volumes like FEV1, FEV1%, and flow rates like FEF200-1200ml, FEF25-75% and FEF75-85% were calculated from the same tracings pulmonary function test (PFT) results of the workers according to different age groups, duration of exposures and smoking habits. The mean values of SVC, FVC and FEV1 of smelter plant workers were found higher compared to the community people but the values of captive power plant workers were very much close to the values of the community people. A gradual decrement of the PFT values was found as duration of exposure increased. Lung volumes and the flow rates were decreased as age increases but in some age groups that trend was not followed. It has been found that in each category of subjects, smokers have the higher mean pulmonary function values compared to the non-smokers. Except the community people in all other cases the different flow rates were found higher in nonsmokers compared to smokers. The restrictive, obstructive and combined restrictive and obstructive types of impairments among the subjects were noticed. The respiratory impairment among the workers as a whole was found higher in smelter plant workers (9.44%) followed by the captive power plant workers (5.40%) and the community people (2.35%). In smelter plant workers both the restrictive and obstructive impairments were found higher compared to captive power plant and the community people.

Chromium exposure study in chemical based industry.

176 chromium-exposed and 30 control subjects were selected for this study. Blood samples (3 ml) were collected for the estimation of chromium. The data on chromium concentration indicated a significant higher level of chromium in the blood of the exposed workers as compared to the control. There was no significant correlation between the mean blood and environmental chromium level. This study suggests that exposure to chromium may have some effect on the health of workers, even though the dose response relationship could not be established between blood chromium and environmental chromium levels. This study suggests that exposure to chromium may have some effect on the health of workers, even though the dose response relationship could not be established between blood chromium and environmental chromium levels. Study also indicates that the environmental levels to Cr are well below the permissible levels at all the sites of the industry at the time of survey even though the blood Cr levels were observed high in 14.8% of workers and some of them were having Cr related morbidity. Therefore, preventive and engineering control measures are suggested to minimize the chromium exposure in the chromium based industry located in Gorwa industrial estate at Baroda, Gujarat. About three months period was taken to complete this study.

A cohort study of correlation between body mass index and age at menarche in healthy Bengali girls.

There are contradictory reports of lowering of age at menarche due to increasing body mass index (BMI) in the population. It is not known if a greater BMI at menarche is associated with a lower menarcheal age in healthy Bengali girls of normal nutrition. In this study the age at menarche was determined in 273 Bengali girls of middle income families. It was assessed whether BMI standard deviation scores (SDS) at menarche, BMI SDS at one year preceding menarche and BMI increments during that year were in correlation with age at menarche. The age of the girls with adequate nutrition was 8-16 years. They were examined for BMI, pubertal breast staging and age at menarche over a 4-year follow-up period. BMI SDS were calculated from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) normative data. The median age at menarche of 12.0 (range 10.0 - 16.0) years did not correlate with BMI SDS at menarche or BMI SDS at one year preceding menarche in this cohort. In univariate analysis, BMI increments for a given breast stage did not significantly lower the age at menarche. The change of BMI in the year preceding menarche did not correlate with age at menarche. The age at menarche in healthy Bengali girls of middle income families was similar to that of other Indian observations. There was no influence of BMI increments or that of BMI SDS prior to or at menarche on age at menarche.

A correlation of secondary aerosol (nitrate and sulfate) with respirable particulate matter (RPM) in ambient air at different traffic junctions of Vadodara city.

The correlation study of secondary aerosol (nitrate and sulfate) with RPM in ambient air at different traffic junctions of Vadodara city is reported. RPM was analyzed using Ion Chromatography technique and measured the level of nitrate and sulfate in ambient air. The correlation studies of these particulates with RPM have been established. The average concentration of sulfate and nitrate in ambient air was found 35.74 microg/m3 and 24.22 microg/m3, which ranged of 5.33-84.69 and 1.93-77.86 microg/m3 respectively. The correlation of RPM and SO4 (r = 0.813, P<0.01), RPM-NO3 (r = 0.5549, P<0.01) and SO4-NO3 (r = 0.6133, P<0.01) were found significant. The presence of sulfate and nitrate in RPM is 8.25% and 5.60% . The pH of water extract of RPM averaged 6.81, which ranged 6.17-7.28. Regression analysis result showed that the relationship between RPM-SO4 was significantly (R2=0.66215) correlated. This indicate that probably the secondary aerosols such as nitrate and sulfate in excess may cause irritation and increasing lung disease.

Male exposure mediated adverse reproductive outcomes in carbon disulphide exposed rayon workers.

The authors examined 100 carbon disulphide (CS2) exposed male workers who had been employed ten years prior to study were selected for the study. They were virtually obliged to participate in the study by the Medical Labor Inspector and all of them participated voluntary. The aim was to assess the effects of occupational exposure to carbon disulphide concentrations below the threshold limit value (31 mg/m3) on the reproductive functions with special emphasis on miscarriages. Specially, workers history records were build up on number of children, miscarriages and general weakness, mental fatigue etc. It was found that the incidences of number of miscarriages against number of living children correlated well with environmental concentration of CS2. Where the average CS2 levels were 1.695 ppm, the incidences of miscarriages was 5.71% (group 1). Where as in group 2 environmental concentrations were 12.28 ppm and the incidences of miscarriages were 18.91%. It was also found that in the spinning department the exposure exceeds many times the Threshold Limit Values (TL V).

Knowledge and practices regarding injury care among stone quartz workers.

The present study designed as cross sectional study was carried out to study the knowledge and practice regarding injury care among stone quartz workers of Chhotaudepur. A total of 137 stone quartz workers were included in the study, which consisted of 54.7% males and 45.3% females. 85.4% of the workers were illiterate and almost all the workers belonged to lower socio-economic strata according to the Modified Kuppuswamy's socio-economic scale. Majority of the subjects (56.2%) responded that they would consult doctor if they get injured while 32.2% responded that they would neglect the wound, as it will heal spontaneously. Thus the present study suggests that the knowledge regarding injury care among stone quartz workers was poor. Even the attitude and practice regarding injury care was also inappropriate.

Lead induced spermatoxicity in mouse and MPG treatment.

Protective efficacy of MPG (2-mercaptopropionyl glycine) was studied against the toxic effects of lead acetate in Swiss albino mice. The animals were treated with single dose of lead acetate @ 180, 200 and 250 mg/kg b.wt. in presence and absence of MPG. The results indicated that the body weight was slightly higher in MPG treated groups on day 10 as compared to only respective lead treated groups in all the three dose level. However, significantly lower body weight was observed in both lead treated and lead along with MPG treated groups as compared to control. Patten of mortality is similar in both lead treated and lead plus MPG treated groups. Conspicuous degenerative changes in testicular tissues and elevation in sperm head shape abnormality were observed in both lead treated and lead along with MPG treated groups but the sperm head shape abnormality and damage were more in lead treated groups as compared to lead plus MPG treated groups. But this difference was non-significant between the two groups. These observations suggest that MPG may not be significantly effective against lead induced damage in testicular tissues at cellular level. However, MPG is able to maintain slightly lower level of sperm abnormality in all the three dose level as compared to their respective lead treated groups. Further, studies are needed to find out the optimum dose of MPG for protection against the lower doses of lead induced lethality as MPG is not significantly effective against the higher doses of lead.

Dustiness, silicosis & tuberculosis in small scale pottery workers.

Studies were carried out in eight small scale potteries to find out the airborne dust concentrations and the prevalence of dust related diseases like silicosis and tuberculosis in 292 workers. Chest radiography revealed that 44 (15.1%) pottery workers were suffering from silicosis and an equal number showed radiological evidence of tuberculosis. The environmental study showed that the concentrations of airborne dust, containing free silica, in the work environment of all departments (except packing department) of potteries were higher than threshold limit values (TLVs). The prevalence of silicosis and tuberculosis correlated with the levels of airborne dust. The prevalence of tuberculosis increased with radiological severity of silicosis. Dust control measures combined with pre-employment and periodical medical examinations are recommended for the control of silicosis and tuberculosis in the pottery industry.

Pulmonary function studies in 15 to 18 years age workers exposed to dust in industry.

Pulmonary function tests (VC, FEV1% and FEF25-75%) were evaluated in 15 to 18 years age workers employed in slate pencil industry exposed to silica dust, in wool carpet industry exposed to wool dust and in diamond cutting and polishing exposed to carbon dust. These values were compared with the values obtained in clinically healthy non-smokers of the same age group. The results revealed significant impairment of VC in diamond workers, and FEF25-75% in slate pencil workers. When the values were observed according to smoking habits in diamond workers, VC, FEV1 and FEF25-75% were all significantly reduced in smokers whereas in non-smokers only VC was lowered significantly. Among slate pencil workers FEF25-75% was significantly reduced in both smokers and non-smokers. Wool dust exposed workers showed reduced values than normal subjects. The detailed results including the prevalence of various pulmonary impairments were presented.

Humoral immunologic dysfunction in silicosis.

Immunoglobulins may play an important role in the evolution of silicosis, and their determination may serve as a helpful criterion in the diagnosis of silicosis. Serum immunoglobulin levels were studied in slate pencil workers (130) exposed to high concentrations of silica dusts and non-exposed controls (50). Significantly higher levels of immunoglobulins were observed in the silica exposed individuals. A rising trend in the serum IgG from a mean of 1373 mg/dl in control group to 2193.68 mg/dl in exposed group (conglomerate) and IgM from 140.51 mg/dl in control to 201.19 mg/dl in exposed group (conglomerate silicosis) was observed with increase in the duration of dust exposure. Highest mean levels of IgG (2193.60 mg/dl) and IgM (201.19 mg/dl) were observed in the workers having conglomerate silicosis. The results indicate that though, the levels of immunoglobulins were raised in subjects exposed to silica, this parameter may be of limited value for determining progressive of silicosis.