Mohammadyan Mahmoud, Rokni Mohammad, Yosefinejad Razieh
Health Sciences Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2013;64(1):139-43. doi: 10.2478/10004-1254-64-2013-2284.
This study investigated occupational exposure to silica dust of 48 workers in stone cutting, glass making, ceramic, and sand blasting plants in the north of Iran. Samples were collected from the breathing zone using a personal sampling pump and a size-selective cyclone. Sample filters and blanks were analysed using infrared spectroscopy. The mean sampling period was 4.83 h. Mean exposure of workers to crystalline silica dust in glass making, ceramic, sand blasting, and stone cutting was 0.129 mg m-3, 0.169 mg m-3, 0.313 mg m-3 and 0.318 mg m-3, respectively. As exposure at each of the workplaces is three to 12 times higher than the current national and international thresholds, these workers run a greater risk of lung cancer and mortality. Our findings call for specific ventilation design and personal protection improvements in the four plants as well as stricter enforcement of the existing regulations by the authorities.
本研究调查了伊朗北部石材切割、玻璃制造、陶瓷和喷砂工厂中48名工人的二氧化硅粉尘职业暴露情况。使用个人采样泵和尺寸选择性旋风分离器从呼吸带采集样本。样本过滤器和空白样本采用红外光谱法进行分析。平均采样时间为4.83小时。玻璃制造、陶瓷、喷砂和石材切割行业工人接触结晶二氧化硅粉尘的平均浓度分别为0.129毫克/立方米、0.169毫克/立方米、0.313毫克/立方米和0.318毫克/立方米。由于每个工作场所的暴露水平比当前国家和国际阈值高出三至十二倍，这些工人患肺癌和死亡的风险更大。我们的研究结果呼吁对这四家工厂进行特定的通风设计和个人防护改进，同时当局应更严格地执行现有法规。
