Respiratory effects of portland cement dust

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5222648

Abrons, H L; Sanderson, W T; Petersen, M R

An epidemiologic study of the respiratory effects of Portland cement dust was conducted. The cohort consisted of 2,736 cement workers at 16 facilities in the United States. The comparisons consisted of 2,213 individuals in activities not involving dust exposure. Spirometry testing was performed. Respiratory-symptom questionnaires were administered. Chest x-rays were taken and examined. Personal sampling for total and respirable dust, quartz, and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen was performed. Cement workers had a significantly elevated adjusted-odds ratio for dyspnea, rounded and irregular small x-ray opacities, and pleural abnormalities. None of the ventilatory-function variables were significantly different between cement workers and the comparisons. The authors conclude that cement dust exerts little adverse effect on respiratory symptoms and ventilatory function. To determine whether the increase in x-ray abnormalities represents pneumoconiosis or another pathological process would require histological study. There is insufficient evidence to suggest a change in the exposure limit for cement dust.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5222648
• Report Number(s): PB-86-226958/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
DUSTS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
PORTLAND CEMENT
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
AIR POLLUTION
BUILDING MATERIALS
CEMENTS
DISEASES
MATERIALS
POLLUTION
SAFETY
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560306 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
552000 - Public Health