Investigating of occupational exposure to crystalline silica and its relationship with the lung capacity of workers working in the mines of Alborz province compared to the control group.

Abstract

Background: In mines, it is common to come into contact with harmful substances like dust. Considering the challenges of crystalline silica measurement, this study was designed to investigate the relationship between occupational exposure to crystalline silica and lung capacity in miners working in Open pit mines of Alborz province. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out in Alborz province's mines. The monitoring of 97 workers working in mines was done using the NIOSH0600 method and the NIOSH7602 optimal method. At the same time as individual monitoring, 97 workers in mines in the province and 97 workers in a food industry company were monitored through spirometry. SPSS22 software was used to analyze the data. Results: : The average amount of crystalline silica dust was approximately twice the Iranian standard, and the total respirable dust was 4.5 times the Iranian standard. The pulmonary parameters FEV1%, FVC%, and PEF% were observed to have a significant difference between two groups. The amount of crystalline silica dust and total respirable dust had a significant correlation with pulmonary capacities (FEV1/FVC% and FEV1%). Conclusion: Controlled occupational dust exposure is a prerequisite for reducing respiratory problems among mine workers. The study found that workers who were exposed to excessive occupational contact with crystalline silica dust and respirable general dust decreased their lung function, which suggests that there could be problems with the health of mine workers in the future. In terms of protecting workers, it seems that the current occupational health engineering strategies were not sufficient.

Keywords

• silica
• pulmonary capacity
• total dust
• mine