ACUTE LUNG-FUNCTION CHANGES AND LOW ENDOTOXIN EXPOSURES IN THE POTATOPROCESSING-INDUSTRY

Work-related respiratory symptoms, acute lung function changes and per sonal endotoxin exposure were studied in 61 workers from a potato proc essing plant According to their job title mean endotoxin exposure leve l, workers were divided into low (AM = 21 EU/m(3)) and high (AM = 56 E U/m(3)) exposure categories. Shortness of breath and chest tightness d uring work were reported by 18% and 16% of the workers, respectively, mainly in the low endotoxin exposure category. A total of 148 across-s hift lung function changes were measured during three consecutive afte rnoon shifts. The mean FEV1 and MMEF showed a decrease over the work s hift, being largest on the first working day after a 3-day absence fro m work. Workers exposed to high endotoxin levels showed a larger acros s-shift decrease in lung function than workers exposed to low endotoxi n exposures, the effect being most pronounced on the first day after a 3-day absence from work. At the start of the second work shift, FVC, FEV1 and MMEF were lower than at the start of the first work shift. Th is difference was larger for high exposed workers. High exposed worker s with work-related respiratory symptoms skewed an 8-10% across-shift change in FVC, FEV1 and MMEF. We conclude that significant across-shif t decreases in lung function of potato processing workers is related t o endotoxin exposure levels above 53 EU/m(3) over 8 hr. (C) 1998 Wiley -Liss, Inc.