Health effects of automobile exhaust. VI. Relationship of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function in tunnel and turnpike workers

Journal Article · · Arch. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1983.10545817· OSTI ID:6846611

Tollerud, D J; Weiss, S T; Elting, E; Speizer, F E; Ferris, B

To examine the effect of automobile exhaust on respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function, the authors studied 175 tunnel and turnpike workers employed by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority on two occasions 3 yr apart beginning in 1972. A standard respiratory symptom and illness questionnaire was administered, spirometry was performed, and proximal hair lead and blood lead content were measured as biologic indices of automobile exhaust exposure. One hundred nine (63%) workers were current cigarette smokers, 41 (23%) were exsmokers, and 24 (14%) had never smoked. Smoking was strongly related to respiratory symptoms of cough and phlegm production, but not to wheezing, breathlessness, bronchial asthma, or frequent chest colds. When workers were stratified by smoking status, no effect could be seen between high automobile exhaust exposure as measured by a variety of parameters and all of the above respiratory symptoms and illnesses. The level of pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in 1 sec(FEV/sub 1.0/) and forced vital capacity (FVC)) was not related to past or current exhaust exposure in a cross-sectional analysis when controlled for age, height, and cigarette consumption. In a prospective analysis of 84 of these workers, the observed changes in FEV/sub 1.0/ and FVC over 3 yr were unrelated to exhaust exposure after controlling for age, height, cigarette consumption, and initial level of pulmonary function. 31 references, 6 tables.

• Research Organization: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
• OSTI ID: 6846611
• Journal Information: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 38:6; ISSN AEHLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
AUTOMOBILES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
DYNAMIC FUNCTION STUDIES
ELEMENTS
EPIDEMIOLOGY
EXHAUST GASES
FLUIDS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HAIR
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
LEAD
LUNGS
MATERIALS
METALS
MONITORING
ORGANS
PERSONNEL
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
ROADS
SKIN
SMOKES
SOLS
TOBACCO SMOKES
TUNNELS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
VEHICLES
WASTES