Some health aspects of infections in oil and emulsions

Abstract

A variety of potential health hazards associated with microbial infections of cutting oils have been postulated. This paper deals particularly with the inhalation of infected aerosols from such emulsions. An Andersen sampler detected up to 70000 viable bacteria/m 3 of air 0.6m from a grinding machine in a machine shop, but this level decreased substantially further from the machine tools Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an accepted opportunistic pathogen, was present in the emulsions in the sumps and was detected in the air. However, when nasal swabs and sputum samples from 38 men were examined there was no indication that the respiratory tract had been colonised by Pseudomonas spp. It is suggested that the spoilage bacteria in the emulsions rapidly lose viability in an aerosol. The droplets however, are of a respirable size and dead bacteria may evoke respiratory response. Animal experiments indicated that infected emulsions exacerbate lung inflammation, serological responses and skin irritation