Ventilatory function of workers exposed to cobalt and diamond containing dust.
The ventilatory function of 48 workers occupied on the average for six years in a plant producing diamond-cobalt circular saws was compared with that of 23 control subjects. The geometric mean airborne cobalt concentrations in the two main work areas amounted to 15.2 and 135.5 micrograms/m3 respectively. The spirometric changes found in the exposed workers were compatible with a moderate restrictive syndrome and were correlated with duration of exposure.
Gennart
J P
JP
Industrial Toxicology and Occupational Medicine Unit, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
Lauwerys
R
R
D002244:Carbon / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003035:Cobalt / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018130:Diamond; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
D004391:Dust; D003035:Cobalt; D002244:Carbon; D018130:Diamond