title: A study of magnetic field in the lung of workers in an asbestos factory.
abstract: Magnetic field at the chest in 93 male workers exposed to asbestos dust in an asbestos products factory in China was studied by local magnetization and flux-gate gradiometry. The average field intensity at 12 measurement points over the anterior chest wall was compared among workers with and without asbestosis and among workers of different working age. The field intensity in workers with asbestosis and those suspected to have asbestosis on the basis of X-ray findings was significantly higher than that in workers without asbestosis. It was also found that the field intensity increased with working age. It is suggested that dynamic measurement of magnetic field in the lung of workers exposed to dust containing ferrimagnetic particles would at least serve as a quantitative method for estimating lung dust loads and be valuable for pneumoconiosis prevention.
authors.forename: X T
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: T X
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Z G
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D001195:Asbestosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002681:China; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D009787:Occupational Medicine / Q000295:instrumentation