Effects of Exposure to Welding Fume on Lung Function: Results from the German WELDOX Study.

The association between exposure to welding fume and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been insufficiently clarified. In this study we assessed the influence of exposure to welding fume on lung function parameters. We investigated forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, and expiratory flow rates in 219 welders. We measured current exposure to respirable particles and estimated a worker's lifetime exposure considering welding techniques, working conditions and protective measures at current and former workplaces. Multiple regression models were applied to estimate the influence of exposure to welding fume, age, and smoking on lung function. We additionally investigated the duration of working as a welder and the predominant welding technique. The findings were that age- and smoking-adjusted lung function parameters showed no decline with increasing duration, current exposure level, and lifetime exposure to welding fume. However, 15% of the welders had FEV1/FVC below the lower limit of normal, but we could not substantiate the presence of an association with the measures of exposure. Adverse effects of cigarette smoking were confirmed. In conclusion, the study did not support the notion of a possible detrimental effect of exposure to welding fume on lung function in welders.

Sub-acute occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis due to low-level exposure to diisocyanates in a secretary.

There is virtually no information in the literature about the exposure levels needed to induce hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) by diisocyanates. The present study reports a case of occupational HP due to diisocyanates after low-level exposure. A 53-yr-old female never-smoker developed progressive shortness of breath on exertion, cough, fatigue and flu-like symptoms shortly after she began work as a secretary of a car body repair shop. A diagnosis of HP was made 2 yrs later, based on a restrictive ventilatory defect, a reticulonodular and discrete ground-glass pattern on high-resolution computed tomography, lymphocytosis in bronchoalveolar lavage and specific immunoglobulin G antibodies to diisocyanate human serum albumin conjugates in the patient's serum. The diagnosis was confirmed by recovery after exposure cessation and deterioration after re-exposure. Ambient monitoring revealed air concentrations of different diisocyanate monomers below the detection limit in both the patient's work station and in front of the paint spray booths, with the exception of one measurement that showed 4,4-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate concentrations of 3 microg x m(-3) in front of one booth (corresponding to a total reactive isocyanate group concentration of 1 microg x m(-3)). The present authors conclude that concentrations of diisocyanates far below current exposure limits may induce hypersensitivity pneumonitis in susceptible subjects.

[Increase in the colony count in drinking water tanks caused by solvents from the coating material]. / Koloniezahlerhöhungen in einem Trinkwasserbehälter verursacht durch Lösemittel des Anstrichmaterials.

As a freshly coated storage tank was put into operation a permanent colony increase in the drinking water (up to 7400 cfu/ml) could be detected. By chlorine dosage (30 mg/l) colony counts were reduced. From a second storage tank which had been coated at the same time bituminous coating material and air samples could be taken. After the exposure of the bituminous coating material in aqua bidest. 48 organic compounds were found by GC/MS-analysis. The main compounds were xylene, ethylbenzene and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene. These compounds were also found by GC-investigations of the air-samples. The dependence between the used organic solvents and the colony increase could be demonstrated by biodegradation tests of solvent compounds. It was found that about 50 per cent of the identified compounds could be degraded by microorganisms and therefore caused a colony increase in drinking water.