title: Particulate matter, endotoxin, and worker respiratory health on large Californian dairies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess respiratory exposures and lung function in a cross-sectional study of California dairy workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Exposure of 205 dairy and 45 control (vegetable processing) workers to particulate matter and endotoxin was monitored. Pre- and postshift spirometry and interviews were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Geometric mean inhalable and PM2.5 concentrations were 812 and 35.3 μg/m3 versus 481.9 and 19.6 μg/m3, respectively, for dairy and control workers. Endotoxin concentrations were 329 EU/m3 or 1122 pmol/m3 and 13.5 EU/m3 or 110 pmol/m3, respectively, for dairy and control workers. In a mixed-effects model, forced vital capacity decreased across a work shift by 24.5 mL (95% confidence interval, -44.7 to -4.3; P = 0.018) with log10 (total endotoxin) and by 22.0 mL (95% confidence interval, -43.2 to -0.08; P = 0.042) per hour worked.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modern California dairy endotoxin exposures and shift length were associated with a mild acute decrease in forced vital capacity.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Public Health Sciences (Drs Mitchell, Schenker, and Bennett, Langer,* and Ms Armitage); Department of Pediatrics (Dr Tancredi), University of California Davis; Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences (Dr Reynolds); Center for Environmental Medicine (Dr Dooley), Colorado State University, Ft Collins; and (Dr Mitloehner) Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis. *Dr Langer's current address is Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Diane C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Tracey L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Armitage
authors.forename: Marc B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Schenker
authors.forename: Deborah H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Tancredi
authors.forename: Chelsea Eastman
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mehaffy
authors.forename: Frank M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Mitloehner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002140:California; D002417:Cattle; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003612:Dairying; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005525:Food-Processing Industry; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013147:Spirometry; D013997:Time Factors; D014675:Vegetables; D014797:Vital Capacity
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D052638:Particulate Matter