Exposure to Grain Dust and Microbial Components in the Norwegian Grain and Compound Feed Industry
Exposure to Grain Dust and Microbial Components in the Norwegian Grain and Compound Feed Industry
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DOI：
10.1093/annhyg/met036
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发表时间：
2013-11-01
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Eduard, Wijnand
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Halstensen, Anne Straumfors;Heldal, Kari Kulvik;Eduard, Wijnand
本研究的目的是广泛描述挪威谷物升降机和配合饲料米尔斯工作期间谷物工人的个人暴露特征，以确定工作场所和季节之间暴露的差异，为研究不同微生物组分之间的相关性，采用全自动微生物分析仪采集了166份大气降尘样品，在一个秋季和两个冬季，在20个谷物提升机和配合饲料米尔斯厂工作期间轮班个人采样。对谷物粉尘、内毒素、β-葡聚糖、细菌和真菌孢子的个人暴露进行了量化。粉尘和微生物成分之间的相关性和工作场所和季节之间的差异进行了调查。通过线性混合效应回归模型评估了内毒素和β-葡聚糖暴露的决定因素。工人暴露于1.0 mg/m3可吸入谷物粉尘的总体几何平均值[几何标准差（GSD）3.7]，628个内毒素单位/m3。（GSD 5.9）、7.4g m（3）的β-葡聚糖（GSD 5.6）、2110（4）细菌m（3）（GSD 7.9）和3.610（4）真菌孢子m（3）（GSD 3.4）。谷物粉尘暴露水平在工作场所和季节之间相似，但谷物粉尘的微生物含量在工作场所之间差异很大。与所有其他工作场所相比，谷物升降机中所有微生物组分的暴露水平均显著较高。谷物粉尘暴露与内毒素（r（p）0.65）、-13-葡聚糖（r（p）0.72）、细菌（r（p）0.44）和真菌孢子（r（p）0.48）暴露显著相关（Pearsons r），而解释的方差强烈依赖于工作场所。细菌、谷物粉尘和工作场所是内毒素暴露的重要决定因素，而真菌孢子、谷物粉尘和工作场所是-13-葡聚糖暴露的重要决定因素。此外，尽管粉尘水平相似，但不同工作场所的微生物成分暴露水平不同。因此，我们建议应分别评估不同工作地点的暴露水平，并应进行基于任务的评估，以详细评估有效的减尘措施。在对这些工作场所进行健康风险评估时，应考虑微生物含量和微生物成分对健康影响的知识。
The aim of this study was to extensively characterize grain workers personal exposure during work in Norwegian grain elevators and compound feed mills, to identify differences in exposures between the workplaces and seasons, and to study the correlations between different microbial components.Samples of airborne dust (n 166) were collected by full-shift personal sampling during work in 20 grain elevators and compound feed mills during one autumn season and two winter seasons. The personal exposure to grain dust, endotoxins, -13-glucans, bacteria, and fungal spores was quantified. Correlations between dust and microbial components and differences between workplaces and seasons were investigated. Determinants of endotoxin and -13-glucan exposure were evaluated by linear mixed-effect regression modeling.The workers were exposed to an overall geometric mean of 1.0mg m(3) inhalable grain dust [geometric standard deviation (GSD) 3.7], 628 endotoxin units m(3) (GSD 5.9), 7.4 g m(3) of -13-glucan (GSD 5.6), 2110(4) bacteria m(3) (GSD 7.9) and 3.610(4) fungal spores m(3) (GSD 3.4). The grain dust exposure levels were similar across workplaces and seasons, but the microbial content of the grain dust varied substantially between workplaces. Exposure levels of all microbial components were significantly higher in grain elevators compared with all other workplaces. The grain dust exposure was significantly correlated (Pearsons r) with endotoxin (r(p) 0.65), -13-glucan (r(p) 0.72), bacteria (r(p) 0.44) and fungal spore (r(p) 0.48) exposure, whereas the explained variances were strongly dependent on the workplace. Bacteria, grain dust, and workplace were important determinants for endotoxin exposure, whereas fungal spores, grain dust, and workplace were important determinants for -13-glucan exposure.Although the workers were exposed to a relatively low mean dust level, the microbial exposure was high. Furthermore, the exposure levels of microbial components varied between workplaces although the dust levels were similar. We therefore recommend that exposure levels at different workplaces should be assessed separately and a task-based assessment should be done for detailed evaluation of efficient dust-reducing measures. The microbial content and knowledge of health effects of the microbial components should be considered in health risk evaluations of these workplaces.