Bio-effects Monitoring of Workers in the Cotton Industry

There is still unprotected and continuousexposure to cotton dusts, endotoxins, chemicals due tochemical and mechanical processes and to ergonomichazards in the cotton industry of Pakistan, resultingin different types of public health problems in cottonworkers. The aim of the study is to determine theprevalence of byssinosis and other public health problemsin cotton factories of Faisalabad; to measure cottondusts and endotoxins in different cotton factories and tocorrelate their effects on lungs via Pulmonary FunctionTests (PFTs) and to determine cytotoxic and genotoxiccellular effects in buccal cells due to long term exposureto cotton dusts and endotoxins in exposed cotton workersagainst a controlled/non-exposed group. Public healthproblems and occupational safety will be assessed viaa structured check list. A structured questionnaire willbe administered to 800 cotton workers to determine theprevalence of byssinosis and other health problems. PFTswill be performed on selected exposed cotton workers.Cotton dusts and endotoxins will be measured in differentsections of different cotton factories. Buccal cells will becollected from 50 exposed cotton weavers and also fromsimilar numbered matched controlled/non-exposedgroup. The organic cotton dusts contain endotoxin whichis associated with acute and chronic inflammation of therespiratory tract, resulting in decline in lung functionand in a clinical condition called “byssinosis”, organicdust toxic syndrome and chronic airway obstruction.As the exposure leads to inflammation, so there may becytotoxicity in buccal cells