Short communication, Note
A longitudinal study of respiratory health hazards of exposure to terpenes in saw-mills
R. Alexandersson
; Department of Occupational Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract
Forty-eight subjects exposed to terpenes (mean exposure: 254 mg/m3) in two saw-mills in northern Sweden and 46 local controls were examined in a two-year follow-up study. Symptoms for the upper airways were significantly more common in the exposed group than among the controls. The FVC and FEV1 variables were reduced by an average of 0.32 and 0.47 L, respectively, compared to normal values. The nitrogen washout variables also differed between the exposed and controls with raised values in CV% and in the slope of the alveolar plateau (phase III), indicating an obstructive lung function impairment. A day of industrial exposure (Monday) caused no further decrease in any of the lung function variables. After improved environmental control the exposure to terpenes decreased to about 150-200 mg/m3. A new examination of the same subjects was performed two years later. In the follow-up study the mean FVC values were unchanged compared to normal values. However, the mean difference between the exposed and control workers was reduced by more than 50% in the variable FEV1.o and phase III. No further reduction was recorded after four weeks of no exposure (holiday).
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
152591
URI
Publication date:
15.6.1989.
Visits: 1.291 *