Corhay J L, Delavignette J P, Bury T, Saint-Remy P, Radermecker M F
Department of Pneumology, CHU, Liege, Belgium.
Arch Environ Health. 1990 Sep-Oct;45(5):278-82. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1990.10118746.
To investigate the asbestos burden in a steelplant environment, we counted asbestos bodies (ABs) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of 65 steel workers who had retired during the previous 5 y. They had worked for at least 15 y in the same area of the plant (coke oven or blast furnace) as maintenance or production workers. On the basis of occupational anamnesis, 28 had occasional past professional exposure to asbestos; the remaining 37 workers denied any contact with asbestos. A total of 54 white-collar workers who had no occupational exposure to asbestos were included in the study as controls. An increased prevalence and concentration of ABs was found in the BALF of steel workers. Electron microscopy and EDAX analysis of AB from steel workers revealed that the core fibers were mainly amphiboles. More ABs were found in the BALF of maintenance workers than in production workers. However, the BALF from steel workers who denied any contact with asbestos revealed an increased AB burden v. controls. This demonstrates that steel workers may be subject to an occult exposure to amphiboles in the steelplant environment.
为调查钢铁厂环境中的石棉负荷，我们对65名在过去5年退休的钢铁工人支气管肺泡灌洗液（BALF）中的石棉小体（ABs）进行了计数。他们曾在工厂同一区域（焦炉或高炉）担任维修或生产工人至少15年。根据职业问诊，28人过去曾偶尔有职业性石棉接触；其余37名工人否认曾接触过石棉。共有54名无职业性石棉接触的白领工人被纳入研究作为对照。在钢铁工人的BALF中发现ABs的患病率和浓度增加。对钢铁工人ABs的电子显微镜和能谱分析表明，核心纤维主要为闪石。维修工人BALF中的ABs比生产工人更多。然而，否认曾接触过石棉的钢铁工人的BALF显示，与对照组相比，AB负荷增加。这表明钢铁工人在钢铁厂环境中可能受到闪石的隐匿性接触。
