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A field investigation of the acute respiratory effects of metal working fluids. II. Effects of airborne sulfur exposures
Author(s) -
Sama Susan R.,
Kriebel David,
Woskie Susan,
Eisen Ellen,
Wegman David,
Virji Mohammed A.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199706)31:6<767::aid-ajim14>3.0.co;2-w
Subject(s) - medicine , sulfur , respiratory system , confidence interval , air pollutants , respiratory disease , toxicology , environmental chemistry , air pollution , lung , metallurgy , chemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , biology
An investigation of the acute respiratory effects of workers exposed to metal working fluids (MWF) was conducted in an automobile parts manufacturing facility. After observing an association between cross‐shift decline in forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV 1 ) and aerosol mass concentration, improved characterization of the exposure was sought through investigation of four elements of a priori interest (Cl, Cr, Ni, S). Of these, only sulfur showed an association with cross‐shift FEV 1 decrement. The relative risk of 5% cross‐shift FEV 1 decrement was 2.7 (95% confidence interval = 1.0–6.0) comparing those with >4.4 μg/m 3 to those with <2.5 μg/m 3 sulfur exposure. Because the concentrations of sulfur in this environment were relatively low and other respiratory irritants were present, sulfur is more likely to be an indicator of more irritating conditions than the sole agent responsible for the observed acute respiratory effects. Am. J. Ind. Med. 31:767–776, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.