Exposure of bakery and pastry apprentices to airborne flour dust using PM2.5 and PM10 personal samplers.
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 < 0.006). Exposure values for both particulate fractions are greater in winter (average PM10 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.


CONCLUSIONS
Young bakery apprentices incur substantial exposure to known airways allergens, a situation that might elicit early induction of airways inflammation.
Mounier-Geyssant
Estelle
E
INSERM (National Institute of Health and Medical Research) Research unit ERI no 11, 9 avenue de la Forêt de Haye, BP 184, 54505 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, Cedex, France. estellemounier@yahoo.fr
Barthélemy
Jean-François
JF
Mouchot
Lory
L
Paris
Christophe
C
Zmirou-Navier
Denis
D
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology; D001939:Bread; D003296:Cooking; D004391:Dust; D005433:Flour / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005525:Food-Processing Industry; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter; D012621:Seasons; D014481:United States; D014691:Ventilation
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust; D052638:Particulate Matter