Cotton Dust Exposure Research Articles

A Statistical study to estimate the effects of smoking and cotton dust exposure on lung function of cotton workers of Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: Occupational health has been included in National Health Policy, with a mission of providing safe healthy environment for the cotton textile workers by Government of India. With large population being agriculture dependent, the cotton textiles sector is the second largest provider of employment in India. Workers of these cotton and related industries are exposed to cotton dust in mills during carding, blowing, spinning and weaving of cotton fibers. Smoking is another causative factor for aggravating these respiratory symptoms in workers as most of them are habitual to smoking due to work load. Following studies was initiated with an objective to evaluate the interaction between cotton dust exposure and smoking on the lung function of these subjectsMethods: Five hundred (500) male weavers, from Varanasi, the state of Uttar Pradesh, North India working in various spinning outlets, were approached for this study with work duration of 10-15years. These subjects selected were in the age group of 28-41 years with no chronic medical history and lung ailments. Some of the workers had smoking history varying from 5-18 years. After segregating them in various groups (G1-G4), lung functions were monitored by evaluating the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) in workers of all the groups in lit/min.Results: As lung functions were evaluated in terms of PEFR as main parameter. The results of the present study indicate significantly low values of PEFR (lit/min) in cotton spinning workers (G-3) as compared to normal healthy individuals (G-1), which got further impaired due to prevalence of smoking in subjects of cotton spinners (G-4). The level of significance (p<0.05) for altered lung functions in smoking workers was much higher than those in nonsmoking workers suggesting involvement of larger airways.Conclusions: Present results of this study; indicate that smoking potentiates the effects of cotton dust exposure on the respiratory functions of spinners by indicating the prevalence of enhanced lung symptoms as well as byssinosis.

Cotton dust exposure: Analysis of pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms.

Background:Cotton industry workers are exposed to various hazards in the different departments of textile factories. The major health problems associated with cotton dust are respiratory problems, byssinosis, bronchitis and asthma.Objective:To study the effect of cotton dust exposure on pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms.Settings and Design:This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at cotton mill in the Ahmedabad city.Materials and Methods:One hundred cotton mill workers of the weaving and spinning area participated in this study while 100 age- and gender-matched male subjects living in the residential area served as the control group. A questionnaire was used to inquire about respiratory symptoms and spirometry was done in both the groups.Statistical Analysis Used:Student's t-test was used to find the difference between spirometric parameters, and Chi-square test was used to find the difference between respiratory symptoms.Results:Respiratory symptoms were statistically significantly more common in the cotton mill workers compared to control group. Cotton mill workers group also showed significant (P < 0.0001) decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), ratio of FEV1 and forced vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow rate, and no significant difference of FVC between groups. There was an association of duration of exposure and symptoms with spirometric abnormality.Conclusion:Cotton mill workers showed a significant decrease in spirometric parameters and increase in respiratory symptoms. As the duration of exposure and symptoms increased, spirometric abnormality increased.

Effects of Exposure to Cotton Dusts on FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/ FVC% in Male Cotton dust Workers

Background: Workers in environment with cotton dust exposure are at risk of development of occupational pulmonary functional disorder.Objectives: To observe the effects of cotton dust exposure on FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC% in male cotton dust worker.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the department of physiology, Rangpur Medical College, Rangpur from 2014’july to 2015’July. Total 25 apparently healthy non-smoker male workers aged 20-40 years, exposed to cotton dust for at least 6 months, were selected from different fabric weaving and cotton ginning factories of Rangpur district. Twenty five age &amp; BMI matched apparently healthy male subjects, not exposed to cotton dusts were taken as control. FVC, FEV1 and FEV1 /FVC% of all subjects were recorded by using a digital spirometer. For statistical analysis, unpaired‘t’-test was performed.Results: The mean percentage of predicted value of FVC, FEV1 were significantly lower (p&lt;0.001) in cotton dust exposed workers (CD-EW) than those of control. The mean percentage of predicted value of FEV1 / FVC% in CD-EW is slightly decreased compared to control but it was not statistically significant.Conclusions: From the result of this study it can be concluded that cotton dust (CD) may have harmful effects on some pulmonary function.Bangladesh Soc Physiol. 2016, June; 11(1): 35-38

Cotton Dust Exposure and Respiratory Disorders among Textile Workers at a Textile Company in the Southern Part of Benin.

The textile industry sector occupies a prominent place in the economy of Benin. It exposes workers to several occupational risks, including exposure to cotton dust. To assess the effect of exposure to cotton dust on the health of workers, this study was initiated and conducted in a Beninese cotton industry company. The objective of the study was to evaluate the respiratory disorders among the textile workers exposed to cotton dust and the cross-sectional study involved 656 subjects exposed to cotton dust and 113 non-exposed subjects. The methods used are mainly based on a survey using a questionnaire of organic dust designed by the International Commission of Occupational Health (ICOH); and on the measures of lung function parameters (FEV1 and FVC). The main results of the different analyzes revealed that subjects exposed to cotton dust have more respiratory symptoms than unexposed subjects (36.9% vs. 21.2%). The prevalence of chronic cough, expectorations, dyspnoea, asthma and chronic bronchitis are 16.8%, 9.8%, 17.3%, 2.6%, and 5.9% respectively among the exposed versus 2.6%, 0.8%, 16.8%, 0% and 0.8% among the unexposed subjects. The prevalence of byssinosis is 44.01%.The prevalence of symptoms is dependent on the sector of activity and the age of the subject. These results should encourage medical interventions and technical prevention especially since the textile industry occupies an important place in the Benin’s economy.

Cotton Dust Exposure and Resulting Respiratory Disorders Among Home-Based Garment Workers.

Cotton dust exposures and resulting respiratory disorders among Thai home-based garment workers in Bangkok were explored. Structured interviews focused on occupational health assessments of respiratory disorders; workflow process observations, lung function screening tests, and garment dust density assessments were used to gather data. Results revealed that garment workers in this study had worked in home-based tailoring an average of 14.88 years; 88.5% reported average health status, only 2.6% currently smoked cigarettes, and 8.6% had impaired lung function. The prevalence of respiratory disorders in this occupational group was 25%. Significant respiratory tract signs and symptoms were associated with lung function capacity (odds ratio [OR] = 52.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [6.49, 419.60]). Long work hours and few preventive behaviors were significantly associated with respiratory disorders (OR = 2.89 and OR = 10.183, respectively). Improving working conditions at home and minimizing fabric dust exposure among garment workers are recommended.

Respiratory symptoms and cross-shift lung function in relation to cotton dust and endotoxin exposure in textile workers in Nepal: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesInhalation of a cotton-based particulates has previously been associated with respiratory symptoms and impaired lung function. This study investigates the respiratory health of Nepalese textile workers in relation to dust...

Lack of a protective effect of cotton dust on risk of lung cancer: evidence from two population-based case-control studies.

BackgroundLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in North America. Exposure to cotton dust has previously been reported to decrease the risk of lung cancer.MethodsWe used data from two large case-control studies conducted in Montreal from 1979-1986 (Study 1) and 1996-2002 (Study 2) respectively, to examine the association between occupational exposure to cotton dust and risk of lung cancer. Cases were diagnosed with incident histologically-confirmed lung cancer (857 in Study 1, 1203 in Study 2). Population controls were randomly selected from electoral lists and frequency-matched to cases by age and sex (533 in Study 1, 1513 in Study 2). Interviews for the two studies used a virtually identical questionnaire to obtain lifetime occupational and smoking history, and several lifestyle covariates. Each participant’s lifetime occupational history was reviewed by experts to assess exposure to a number of occupational agents, including cotton dust. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsThe lifetime prevalence of exposure to cotton dust was approximately 10%-15% in both studies combined, with some variation by study and by sex. Overall there was no decreased risk of lung cancer among subjects exposed to cotton dust. Rather, among all subjects there was a suggestion of slightly increased risk associated with any lifetime exposure to cotton dust (OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.0-1.5). This risk appeared to be concentrated among cases of adenocarcinoma (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2-2.2), and among moderate and heavy smokers (OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.0-1.7). There was no association when restricting to cases of either squamous cell or small cell cancer, or among never smokers and light smokers. An analogous examination of subjects exposed to wool dust revealed neither increased nor decreased risks of lung cancer.ConclusionsThere was no evidence that cotton dust exposure decreased risks of lung cancer.

Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis Due to Chronic Cotton Dust Exposure and Hepatitis C Infection

Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis Due to Chronic Cotton Dust Exposure and Hepatitis C Infection

Cotton dust, endotoxin and cancer mortality among the Shanghai textile workers cohort: a 30-year analysis

BackgroundAlthough occupational exposure to cotton dust and endotoxin is associated with adverse respiratory health, associations with cancer are unclear. We investigated cancer mortality in relation to cotton dust and endotoxin...

Long-term respiratory health effects in textile workers.

Over 60 million people worldwide work in the textile or clothing industry. Recent studies have recognized the contribution of workplace exposures to chronic lung diseases, in particular chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Early studies in textile workers have focused on the relationship between hemp or cotton dust exposure and the development of a syndrome termed byssinosis. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the effect of long-term exposure to organic dust in textile workers on chronic respiratory disease in the broader context of disease classifications, such as reversible or irreversible obstructive lung disease (i.e. asthma or COPD), and restrictive lung disease. Cessation of exposure to cotton dust leads to improvement in lung function. Recent animal models have suggested a shift in the lung macrophage:dendritic cell population ratio as a potential mechanistic explanation for persistent inflammation in the lung due to repeated cotton dust-related endotoxin exposure. Other types of textile dust, such as silk, may contribute to COPD in textile workers. Textile dust-related obstructive lung disease has characteristics of both asthma and COPD. Significant progress has been made in the understanding of chronic lung disease due to organic dust exposure in textile workers.

Respiratory symptoms and lung function in relation to cotton dust and endotoxin exposure in textile workers in Nepal

ObjectivesOccupational exposure to cotton dust has been associated with various respiratory symptoms and impaired lung function. This study investigates the respiratory health profile of textile mill workers in Nepal in...

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in a man with prolonged cotton dust exposure

A 59-year-old man presented with severe paroxysms of cough associated with dyspnea. His CT scan showed diffuse bilateral ground glass opacifications. His bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was consistent with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Transbronchial biopsy, microbiological studies, and cytology did not identify any alternative diagnosis. The patient had a history of working as a textile loom technician for thirty-one years and had significant exposure to cotton dust. He responded well to whole lung lavage with improvement of symptoms, gas exchange, and CT scan. This patient represents the third reported case of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis associated with cotton dust exposure. We suggest that cellulose might be useful in animal models of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Lung cancer and occupational exposures other than cotton dust and endotoxin among women textile workers in Shanghai, China

ObjectivesNumerous epidemiological studies of lung cancer among textile workers worldwide consistently indicate reduced risks related to cotton dust exposure, presumably due to endotoxin contamination. Our objective was to investigate associations...

To Study the Prevalence of Chronic Respiratory Morbidities and Related Epidemiological Factors among Spinning Mill Workers

Background: Cotton and synthetic textile industry in India is the largest industry in the country accounting for 14 percent of industrial output and providing employment to around 35 million workers. The workers are at risk of suffering from various chronic respiratory illnesses like byssinosis, chronic bronchitis due to exposure to the cotton dust in the worksites. Even though quite a few studies have been conducted in textile mills in India enough emphasis has not been given on the epidemiological aspects of chronic respiratory illness among the workers in these mills. The present study was, therefore, undertaken with two fold objectives to determine prevalence of respiratory morbidities and to find out the epidemiological aspects of the respiratory morbidities in spinning mill workers. Methodology: A Cross sectional study was conducted among 462 cotton textile workers in Babashaheb Kedar Sut Girni Pvt. Ltd. of Central India. Interview technique was used to collect sociodemographic, anthropometric & addiction information on a predesigned proforma followed by detailed general and systemic examination.Results: Present study revealed that among 462 workers (25.3%) workers had chronic respiratory morbidities. The morbidities included Byssinosis (11.7 %), chronic bronchitis (5.8%), Bronchial asthma (4.5%), Tuberculosis (1.5%), other obstructive pulmonary diseases (1.7 %) All the workers were male and age ranged from 21 – 58 years. Majority of the study subjects i.e. 97.4 % were literate and 94.6% belonged to class III & IV according to modified Kuppu swamy’s classification. The spinning process was carried out in seven main sections. Majority of the workers belonged to ring frame section (47%). The present study showed that (32.7%) had cotton dust exposure for more than 20 years. Only masks were provided as protective devices and (41.3%) of the workers were using it. Total (34.7 %) workers were smokers. Conclusion: Advancing age, sections, duration of exposure, non usage of protective devices and smoking were seen as major determinants of chronic respiratory morbidities in spinning mill workers. Key Words: Spinning Mill workers, smoking, Byssinosis, chronic respiratory morbidities

Dust and chemical exposures, and miscarriage risk among women textile workers in Shanghai, China

Introduction:To investigate possible associations between miscarriage and occupational exposures in the Shanghai textile industry.Methods:A retrospective cohort study of miscarriages among 1752 women in the Shanghai textile industry was conducted. Reproductive...

Natural History and Risk Factors of Early Respiratory Responses to Exposure to Cotton Dust in Newly Exposed Workers

A prospective study of newly exposed cotton workers was performed to investigate the natural history of respiratory symptoms and lung function changes. A total of 157 workers naive to cotton dust exposure were investigated by questionnaire, spirometry, and skin tests. They were examined before employment (baseline) and at the end of the first week, and the first, third, sixth, and 12th month after starting work. Acute airway response was defined as either a cross-first-shift or a cross-week fall in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). The longitudinal change of lung function over the year was also calculated. Five hundred seventy-two personal dust sampling and 191 endotoxin measurements were performed to assess the exposure. Forty percent of workers reported work-related symptoms in the first week of the study. Smoking, endotoxin, and dust concentrations were risk factors for all work-related symptoms. Acute airway responses were witnessed after immediate exposure. Female status was the only factor found to be predictive of acute airway response. The mean longitudinal fall in FEV1 at 1 year was 65.5 mL (standard error = 37.2). Age, early respiratory symptoms, and early fall in cross-week FEV1 were found to predict the 12-month fall in FEV1. Cross-first-shift and cross-week falls in FEV1 reduced in magnitude during the course of the study. This study of workers naive to cotton dust exposure has demonstrated that respiratory symptoms and acute airway responses develop early following first exposure, and a tolerance effect develops in those workers with the continued exposure. Current smoking and increasing exposure predicts the development of work-related lower respiratory tract symptoms, while early symptoms and acute airway changes across the working week predict the longitudinal loss of lung function at 1 year.

Occupational Exposures and Breast Cancer Among Women Textile Workers in Shanghai

Breast cancer incidence rates have been increasing in China over the past 2 decades. Most studies have focused on reproductive, dietary, and genetic risk factors. Little is known about the contribution of occupational exposures. We conducted a case-cohort study within a cohort of female textile workers who had participated in a randomized trial of breast self-examination in Shanghai, China. We compared 1709 incident breast cancer cases with an age-stratified reference subcohort (n = 3155 noncases). Cox proportional hazards modeling, adapted for the case-cohort design, was used to estimate hazard ratios for breast cancer in relation to duration of employment in various job processes and duration of exposure to several agents. We also evaluated the associations of cotton dust and endotoxin with breast cancer. Cumulative exposures to cotton dust and endotoxin demonstrated strong inverse gradients with breast cancer risk when exposures were lagged by 20 years (trend P-values <0.001). We did not observe consistent associations with exposures to electromagnetic fields, solvents, or other chemicals. Endotoxin or other components of cotton dust exposures may have reduced risks for breast cancer in this cohort, perhaps acting at early stages of carcinogenesis. Replication of these findings in other occupational settings with similar exposures will be needed to confirm or refute any hypothesis regarding protection against breast cancer.

Cotton dust lung diseases

Although, in the industrialized world, there is a significant decline in the prevalence of cotton dust lung diseases, studies show an increasing incidence in the developing world. With rapid industrialization of the developing world, cotton dust-induced lung diseases are poised to become a global health problem. Discovery of other vegetable dusts causing similar conditions and appreciation of a wider variety of clinical features also make this an opportune time to review this topic. In addition to chronic exposure-related byssinosis and less common forms of acute byssinosis, recent reports describe the rare occurrence of cotton dust-induced pulmonary fibrosis. New data also relate long-term cotton dust exposure to symptoms and physiologic changes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There have also been new developments relating the pathogenesis of cotton dust airway disease to endotoxin lipopolysaccharide found in cotton dust and bract extracts. Establishment of an association between prolonged exposure to cotton and other vegetable dusts and symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease widens the clinical implication of cotton dust exposure. In addition, accumulating knowledge of endotoxins will bring about promising new developments reshaping industrial safety standards and measures to prevent cotton dust exposure.

Development of a Job Exposure Matrix (JEM) for the Textile Industry in Shanghai, China

We developed a job exposure matrix (JEM) for the Shanghai textile industry constructed along three axes: industry sector, textile process, and hazardous agent. We assessed 35 different categories of dust, chemical, and physical agents for 149 textile processes within nine industry sectors: cotton, cotton/synthetic, cotton/other (nonsynthetic), wool, silk, synthetic, mineral, other mixed (e.g., wool and synthetic), and nonproduction. The JEM was constructed from two components: a priori assessment of the textile process by a team of U.S. industrial hygienists, and the prevalence of exposures reported by Chinese industrial hygienists in specific textile processes within the factory. The JEM was applied to an ongoing case-cohort study of cancer in women textile workers. The JEM assessed only dichotomous exposure (ever/never), and could be coupled with cumulative exposure by years of employment. The most common exposures in cotton mills were cotton dust and solvent exposures. Dyeing processes had the highest frequency of exposures, including solvents, acids, bases and caustics, bleaching agents, dyes, dye chemicals and intermediates, and formaldehyde. Only two processes were identified with formaldehyde exposure, beck dyeing and resin finishing. The most prevalent exposures among the subcohort, occurring in more than 60% of the women, were electromagnetic fields, lubricants, and cotton dust. More than one-third of subcohort subjects were also exposed to synthetic fiber dust, and slightly less than one-third of women were exposed to endotoxin. This JEM could be applicable for epidemiologic research in other textile industries.

Cotton Dust and Endotoxin Exposure Levels in Three Shanghai Textile Factories: A Comparison of Samplers

The results of a field survey at three Shanghai textile factories were used to compare the performance of the Chinese dust sampler (CDS) with the standard American sampler, vertical elutriator (VE). Side-by-side samples using a CDS and a VE were collected in seven specific manufacturing processes, with additional area and personal samples collected with a modified Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) personal inhalable sampler. Filters were analyzed for mass and endotoxin concentration. The geometric mean (GM) of the samples collected by the CDS was 0.79 mg/m3 (geometric standard deviation [GSD] 1.9) compared with a GM of 0.31 mg/m3 (GSD 1.7) for the VE measurements. The correlation coefficient for the CDS and VE samples was 0.35. The CDS, a high-volume total dust area sampler, collects 2 to 10 times more dust than the VE, a size-selective method, depending on the manufacturing process. In spinning at Factory A, the VE and CDS measured concentrations of 0.15 mg/m3 and 1.62 mg/m3, respectively. Cotton dust concentration measurements collected by the IOM sampler demonstrated that personal exposure concentrations were significantly higher (GM 1.84 mg/m3, GSD 1.6) than fixed-position area samples (GM 0.68 mg/m3, GSD 1.9). The endotoxin concentration based on the VE samples was 366 EU/m3, with the highest levels found in the specific manufacturing process drawing (1871 EU/m3) and the lowest in spinning (43.5 EU/m3). The results of the field comparison were used to convert historic CDS data into comparable exposures and to assign retrospective exposures to subjects included in a case-cohort study of lung cancer among female textile workers in Shanghai.