Koizumi A, Aoki T, Tsukada M, Naruse M, Saitoh N
Department of Hygiene, Akita University School of Medicine, Japan.
Lancet. 1994 Jun 4;343(8910):1411-2. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(94)92530-5.
Several episodes of "smelter disease", previously assumed to be caused by sulphur dioxide (SO2) poisoning, have been reported in workers replacing pipes in sulphuric acid manufacturing plants. One such incident, affecting 20 men, was recorded in Akita, Japan, in July, 1993, but the protection these workers used suggested that some cause other than SO2 needed to be looked for. 10 workers were affected despite wearing respirators with SO2 cartridges, the symptoms including dyspnoea, diarrhoea, colicky pain, muscle pain and eczema with erythema. Subsequently 10 other workers using face masks with supplied air were affected, though without respiratory symptoms. Sludge in the piping contained mercuric sulphate, and mercury fumes resulted when pipes were cut with gas burners. Blood and urine measurements confirmed heavy exposure to the metal, and simulation experiments in rats showed that skin absorption was likely too. The masks with supplied air ought to have excluded both SO2 and mercury fumes. The only way to avoid smelter disease reliably is to wear an encapsulated suit that prevents inhalation and skin absorption of industrial toxins.
在硫酸制造厂更换管道的工人中，曾有几起被认为是由二氧化硫（SO₂）中毒引起的“冶炼厂病”事件被报道。1993年7月在日本秋田发生了一起这样的事件，有20名男子受到影响，但这些工人所使用的防护装备表明，需要寻找除SO₂之外的其他病因。尽管10名工人佩戴了装有SO₂过滤盒的呼吸器，但仍受到影响，症状包括呼吸困难、腹泻、绞痛、肌肉疼痛以及伴有红斑的湿疹。随后，另外10名使用供气式面罩的工人也受到影响，不过没有出现呼吸道症状。管道中的污泥含有硫酸汞，在用燃气割管时会产生汞烟。血液和尿液检测证实这些工人大量接触了这种金属，并且在大鼠身上进行的模拟实验表明皮肤吸收也很可能发生。供气式面罩本应能隔绝SO₂和汞烟。可靠避免冶炼厂病的唯一方法是穿着能防止吸入和皮肤吸收工业毒素的密封防护服。
