BMC Public Health (Nov 2007)

Exposure of bakery and pastry apprentices to airborne flour dust using PM<sub>2.5 </sub>and PM<sub>10 </sub>personal samplers

  • Paris Christophe,
  • Mouchot Lory,
  • Barthélemy Jean-François,
  • Mounier-Geyssant Estelle,
  • Zmirou-Navier Denis

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-7-311
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
p. 311

Abstract

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Abstract Background This study describes exposure levels of bakery and pastry apprentices to flour dust, a known risk factor of occupational asthma. Methods Questionnaires on work activity were completed by 286 students. Among them, 34 performed a series of two personal exposure measurements using a PM2.5 and PM10 personal sampler during a complete work shift, one during a cold ("winter") period, and the other during a hot ("summer") period. Results Bakery apprentices experience greater average PM2.5 and PM10 exposures than pastry apprentices (p 10 values among bakers = 1.10 mg.m-3 [standard deviation: 0.83]) than in summer (0.63 mg.m-3 [0.36]). While complying with current European occupational limit values, these exposures exceed the ACGIH recommendations set to prevent sensitization to flour dust (0.5 mg.m-3). Over half the facilities had no ventilation system. Conclusion Young bakery apprentices incur substantial exposure to known airways allergens, a situation that might elicit early induction of airways inflammation.