Kanwal Richard, Kullman Greg, Piacitelli Chris, Boylstein Randy, Sahakian Nancy, Martin Stephen, Fedan Kathleen, Kreiss Kathleen
Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA.
J Occup Environ Med. 2006 Feb;48(2):149-57. doi: 10.1097/01.jom.0000194152.48728.fb.
After investigating fixed airways obstruction in butter flavoring-exposed workers at a microwave popcorn plant, we sought to further characterize lung disease risk from airborne butter-flavoring chemicals.
We analyzed data from medical and environmental surveys at six microwave popcorn plants (including the index plant).
Respiratory symptom and airways obstruction prevalences were higher in oil and flavorings mixers with longer work histories and in packaging-area workers near nonisolated tanks of oil and flavorings. Workers were affected at five plants, one with mixing-area exposure to diacetyl (a butter-flavoring chemical with known respiratory toxicity potential) as low as 0.02 ppm.
Microwave popcorn workers at many plants are at risk for flavoring-related lung disease. Peak exposures may be hazardous even when ventilation maintains low average exposures. Respiratory protection and engineering controls are necessary to protect workers.
在调查了一家微波爆米花工厂中接触黄油调味剂的工人的固定气道阻塞情况后，我们试图进一步确定空气中黄油调味剂化学物质所致肺部疾病的风险特征。
我们分析了六家微波爆米花工厂（包括该指标工厂）的医学和环境调查数据。
工作年限较长的油脂和调味剂混合工以及靠近未隔离的油脂和调味剂储罐的包装区工人的呼吸道症状和气道阻塞患病率较高。五家工厂的工人受到影响，其中一家工厂混合区的二乙酰（一种已知具有潜在呼吸道毒性的黄油调味剂化学物质）暴露量低至0.02 ppm。
许多工厂的微波爆米花工人有患调味剂相关肺部疾病的风险。即使通风使平均暴露量保持在较低水平，峰值暴露也可能具有危险性。必须采取呼吸防护和工程控制措施来保护工人。
