Cohort Study of Carbon Black Exposure and Risk of Malignant and Nonmalignant Respiratory Disease Mortality in the US Carbon Black Industry.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate lung cancer and respiratory disease mortality associations with cumulative inhalable carbon black exposure among 6634 US carbon black workers.


METHODS
This analysis was performed using standardized mortality ratio (SMRs) and Cox regression analyses.


RESULTS
Lung cancer mortality was decreased overall (SMR = 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67 to 0.89) but less so among hourly male workers (SMR = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.71 to 1.05). No exposure-response association was observed with time-dependent cumulative inhalable carbon black: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.0 (95% CI, 0.6 to 1.6) for 20 to less than 50 mg/m·yr); HR = 1.3 (95% CI, 0.8 to 2.1) for 50 to less than 100 mg/m·yr; and HR = 1.4 (95% CI, 0.9 to 2.1) for 100 mg/m·yr or more compared with referent (<20 mg/m·yr). No consistent associations were observed between cumulative inhalable carbon black exposure and respiratory disease mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
Quantitative carbon black exposure estimates were not related to lung cancer or nonmalignant respiratory disease mortality.
Ramboll Environ US Corporation (Ms Dell, Dr Gallagher, Ms Crawford, and Dr Mundt), Amherst, Mass; and University of Illinois at Chicago (Dr Jones).
Linda D
LD
Dell
Alexa E
AE
Gallagher
Lori
L
Crawford
Rachael M
RM
Jones
Kenneth A
KA
Mundt
D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D053260:Soot / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014798:Vital Statistics
D053260:Soot