title: [Atmospheric pollution and chronic respiratory diseases in the blast-furnace areas of iron-works].
abstract: An epidemiologic research together with a study on the environmental pollution were carried out in order to evaluate the risk of chronic respiratory diseases of blast furnace workers. The environment study was performed mainly using personal samplers given to workers with different jobs. Observations on 222 work shifts have shown that the total dust concentration to which cast workmen, maintenance men and blast furnace service men were exposed, marginally exceed the TLV values. Furthermore the level of respirable dusts for blast furnace service men was found slightly excessive. The average SO2 concentration was largely below the TLV values. However this gas could be found in excess for very short periods during the work. The epidemiologic study, conducted on a cohort of blast furnace area workers against a control group cohort, indicated a moderate prevalence of pneumoconiosis and chronic bronchitis amongst blast furnaces workers. The clinic and radiological pictures do not seem to go beyond the initial stages.
mesh_terms: D001991:Bronchitis / Q000209:etiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000209:etiology; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D007501:Iron
vernacular_title: Inquinamento atmosferico ed affezioni respiratorie croniche nella zona altoforni di uno stabilimento siderurgico.