Impact of the industrial environment on the health of workers in titanium and magnesium production

Abstract

The results of a study of the health status of employees of metallurgical enterprises under the conditions of exposure to rare earth elements (on the example of employees of titanium and magnesium production) are presented. 107 workers (men) of the observation group exposed to harmful production factors and 72 employees of the administrative apparatus without exposure to harmful production factors were examined. An analysis of the working conditions of workers, research on the content of rare earth elements in the air of the working area and in bioassays, and a sociological survey were carried out. The general clinical, biochemical, immunological parameters of the blood of workers in the titaniummagnesium production were studied. A functional study of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and nervous systems was performed. According to the results obtained, the final class of working conditions at the workplace corresponded to classes 3.1–3.3. Exceeding the MPC of rare earth elements and estimated safe exposure levels have not been identified. An increase in the content of europium, which can replace calcium and magnesium in the body, was found in the workers of the observation group. The revealed dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system and impaired adaptation of the body are formed as a result of exposure of workers in the titanium-magnesium production to a harmful production environment. Exposure of chemicals in workers causes a change in humoral immunity in the form of hyperproduction of IgA, and with an experience of more than 5 years, activation of cellular immunity (increased absolute phagocytosis, CD16+56+ and CD3+25+). Recorded changes in the parameters of rhinomanometry and spirography in the observation group may indicate the presence of the process of aseptic inflammation in the airways under the combined effect of irritating chemicals and rare earth elements. Low-symptomatic or asymptomatic liver damage, characterized by non-specific structural changes (hepatomegaly, increased echogenicity) and a laboratory symptom complex of a simultaneous increase in AlAt and AsAt, LDH. The emerging dysfunction of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems is transformed into cardiorespiratory and hepatopulmonary pathology, increasing the risk of sudden death. The combined impact of production factors «rejuvenates» the age of formation of production-related and occupational diseases, contributes to the loss of professional working capacity by employees even before retirement age.