Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the incidence of occupational asthma in the seven aluminum smelters of Australia and New Zealand from 1991 to 2006.
METHODS: Incidence and exposure data were collected by survey from the smelters prospectively during the study period.
RESULTS: The incidence of occupational asthma across all smelters combined was highest in 1992 at 9.46/1,000/year, declining to 0.36/1,000/year in 2006; a 96.2% reduction. The incidence of occupational asthma was correlated with geometric mean total fluoride concentration, measured as personal samples from employees undertaking anode changing (r(s) = 0.497, P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: The control of exposures, respiratory protection and pre-placement medical assessments undertaken during the study period seem to have contributed to the substantial decline in occupational asthma incidence.
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Nonmalignant mortality among workers in six Norwegian aluminum plants
OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the associations between exposure to fluorides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and mortality from nonmalignant diseases among workers in the Norwegian primary aluminum industry. METHODS: Mortality among 10,857 men, employed for more than 3 years in 1 of 6 aluminum plants, was investigated from 1962 to 1996,
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Suppression of pulmonary antibacterial defenses mechanisms and lung damage in mice exposed to fluoride aerosol
In endemic fluorosis areas in China associated with coal burning, indoor airborne fluoride pollution is severe. To determine the effects of fluoride aerosols on pulmonary antibacterial defense mechanisms and lung damage, mice were exposed to various concentrations of fluoride aerosol (2, 5, or 10 mg/m3) or filtered air (control) for
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Respiratory impairment among children living in the vicinity of a fertilizer plant
The study included 162 second-grade children (85 boys and 77 girls) aged 8-9 years, attending two schools in an area with a fertilizer production plant, and 59 second-graders of the same age (32 boys and 27 girls) from a small neighbouring town located 20 km west of the plant, without
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Mitochondrial respiratory chain damage and mitochondrial fusion disorder are involved in liver dysfunction of fluoride-induced mice.
Highlights Excessive fluoride intake resulted in liver dysfunction. Fluoride increased ROS production and decreased ATP content in the liver tissue. Fluoride damaged the liver tissue ultrastructure. Fluoride induced mitochondrial respiratory chain damaged. Fluoride induced mitochondrial fusion disorder. Our previous study showed that excessive fluoride (F) intake can induce liver dysfunction. The
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Short-term exposures of rats to airborne hydrogen fluoride.
A series of acute inhalation exposures was performed with airborne hydrogen fluoride (HF) to establish the concentration response for nonlethal effects in the rat. Exposures were either 2 or 10 min long; concentrations ranged from 135 to 8621 ppm. Three additional exposures (20 to 48 ppm) were performed for 60
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Fluoride Enhances Toxicity of Beryllium
Occupational exposure to beryllium is well-documented to put workers' health at risk. The two principal targets of beryllium poisoning are the respiratory system and the skin. Of all beryllium compounds, beryllium fluoride complexes (including beryllium fluoride and beryllium oxyfluoride) appear to be the most toxic. As shown below, studies dating back
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Respiratory Risks from Occupational Fluoride Exposure
Starting in the 1930s, scientists have observed that workers exposed to airborne fluorides suffer from an elevated rate of respiratory disorders. For over 50 years, however, US government and industry scientists made repeated assurances that the allowable level of fluoride dusts and gases in industrial workplaces would not cause any
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