Dennekamp M, Demers P, Bartlett K, Davies H, Teschke K
Department of Environmental & Occupational Medicine, University of Aberdeen, UK.
Ann Agric Environ Med. 1999;6(2):141-6.
An increased prevalence of respiratory problems among softwood lumber mill workers has been observed in a number of studies. These workers are potentially exposed to a variety of respiratory hazards including wood dust, abietic or other resin acids, monoterpenes, and fungi, as well as endotoxins. The objectives of this study were to determine if lumber mill workers were exposed to hazardous levels of airborne endotoxin and to identify the factors contributing to high exposures. Personal endotoxin samples (n = 216) were collected in four lumber mills in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The mean personal exposure concentration was 2.09 ng/m.(3) and 9% of the samples were above 5 ng/m.(3). Factors related to the personal endotoxin exposure were type of job, use of compressed air, the percentage of time spent in a booth or cab during a shift, and dust concentration. Log storage practices were also suspected of playing a role. The levels of exposure observed in this study were low compared to the levels reported for populations with respiratory problems attributed to endotoxins.
多项研究发现，软木锯木厂工人呼吸系统问题的患病率有所上升。这些工人可能接触到各种呼吸道危害物，包括木屑、松香或其他树脂酸、单萜类化合物、真菌以及内毒素。本研究的目的是确定锯木厂工人是否暴露于空气中内毒素的危险水平，并确定导致高暴露水平的因素。在加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省的四家锯木厂采集了个人内毒素样本（n = 216）。个人暴露浓度的平均值为2.09 ng/m³，9%的样本高于5 ng/m³。与个人内毒素暴露相关的因素有工作类型、压缩空气的使用、轮班期间在工作间或驾驶室度过的时间百分比以及粉尘浓度。原木储存方式也被怀疑起到了一定作用。与因内毒素导致呼吸系统问题的人群所报告的水平相比，本研究中观察到的暴露水平较低。
