EXPOSURE TO AIR CONTAMINANTS IN CHICKEN CATCHING

A cross-sectional study of chicken catchers was carried out by persona l sampling of air contaminants. The catchers used either the drawer me thod (DM) or truck method (TM) for loading chickens into cages. DM cat chers were exposed to higher concentrations of hazardous substances th an TM catchers, except for ammonia. In terms of geometric means total dust concentrations were 11.3 mg/m(3) (DM catchers) and 8.1 mg/m(3) (T M catchers). Full-shift dust exposure exceeded the Danish occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 3 mg/m(3) for organic dust by at least a fact or of 2. From paired personal sampling data the concentration of respi rable dust ranged from 18% to 28% of the total dust concentration. The average exposure level to bacterial endotoxin in total dust at 82 ng/ m(3) for DM catchers and 42 ng/m(3) for TM catchers exceeded a limit o f 10 ng/m(3) recommended for poultry processing industry workers in th e United Stares. Endotoxin content of airborne dust averaged 6.5 +/- 4 .9 ng/mg. Exposure to microorganisms was determined by microscopy (tot al count) and by culturing (viable count). The geometric means for tot al count (microorganisms/m(3)) were 7.0 X 10(8) (DM catchers) and 4.9 X 10(8) (TM catchers) and for viable count 3.2 X 10(7) cfu/m(3) (DM ca tchers) and 1.4 X 10(7) cfu/m(3) (TM catchers). The ratio of microorga nisms counted by microscopy to levels of viable microorganisms ranged from 5 to 200, implying a strong underestimation of exposure levels fr om viable counts alone. It was concluded that Danish chicken catchers were exposed beyond recommended limits for the air contaminants evalua ted. Details in chicken-catching technique may affect exposure to air contaminants, and development of preventive measures is recommended.