Experimental human exposure to inhaled grain dust and ammonia: Towards a model of concentrated animal feeding operations
✍ Scribed by Sigurdur T. Sigurdarson; Patrick T. O'Shaughnessy; Janet A. Watt; Joel N. Kline
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2004
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 116 KB
- Volume
- 46
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0271-3586
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Background
Ammonia and endotoxin‐rich dust are present in high concentrations in swine confinement facilities; exposure to this environment is linked to workers' respiratory problems. We hypothesized that experimental exposure to ammonia and dust would impair pulmonary function, and that these exposures would be synergistic.
Methods
We exposed six normal subjects and eight subjects with mild asthma to ammonia (16–25 ppm) and/or endotoxin‐rich grain dust (4 mg/m^3^). Pulmonary function and exhaled NO~x~ were measured before and after exposure.
Results
There was no significant change in pulmonary function in the normal subjects following any of the exposure conditions. Among asthmatics, a significant transient decrease in FEV~1~ was induced by grain dust, but was not altered by ammonia; increased bronchial hyperreactivity was also noted in this group.
Conclusion
In a vulnerable population, exposure to grain dust results in transient airflow obstruction. Short‐term exposure to ammonia does not increase this response. Am. J. Ind. Med. 46:345–348, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.