Forster H W, Crook B, Platts B W, Lacey J, Topping M D
Occupational Medicine and Hygiene Laboratory, Health and Safety Executive, London, England.
Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1989 Jan;50(1):44-50. doi: 10.1080/15298668991374291.
A description is given of a hygiene investigation made to determine workers' exposure to airborne microorganisms and antigen in the slicing area of a sugar beet refinery following complaints by the workers of work-related respiratory symptoms. Dust concentrations in the slicing area were not high (up to 3.5 mg/m3), but there were many airborne microorganisms (200,000 colony forming units/m3), mostly gram-positive bacteria. Of 15 workers, 7 had precipitins to a sugar beet extract. Of these 7, there were 5 who also had precipitins to an extract of dust collected on a 'Staplex' filter. There was a line of identity between the beet and dust extracts, indicating the dust contained appreciable quantities of beet antigen. As a result of these findings, local exhaust ventilation was installed before the next slicing season. Further investigations were made near the beginning and end of this second season. The results showed lower dust concentrations and markedly fewer numbers of airborne bacteria. Although total numbers of bacteria fell, numbers of gram-negative bacteria increased and, at the end of the season, comprised 20% of the total bacterial numbers. Specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration in the workers' serums fell between the two slicing seasons and then remained constant through the next slicing season. This reflected the environmental measurements that showed lower dust concentrations after the installation of exhaust ventilation equipment.
在甜菜制糖厂切片区域，工人们抱怨出现与工作相关的呼吸道症状后，开展了一项卫生调查以确定工人暴露于空气中微生物和抗原的情况。切片区域的粉尘浓度不高（最高3.5毫克/立方米），但存在许多空气传播微生物（200,000菌落形成单位/立方米），主要是革兰氏阳性菌。15名工人中，有7人对甜菜提取物有沉淀素。在这7人中，有5人对在“Staplex”滤器上收集的粉尘提取物也有沉淀素。甜菜提取物和粉尘提取物之间存在一条同一性关系线，表明粉尘中含有相当数量的甜菜抗原。基于这些发现，在下一个切片季节开始前安装了局部排风通风设备。在第二个季节开始和结束时进行了进一步调查。结果显示粉尘浓度降低，空气传播细菌数量明显减少。虽然细菌总数下降，但革兰氏阴性菌数量增加，到季节结束时，占细菌总数的20%。两个切片季节之间，工人血清中的特异性免疫球蛋白G（IgG）浓度下降，然后在下一个切片季节保持稳定。这反映了环境测量结果，即安装排风通风设备后粉尘浓度降低。
