Respiratory findings in chemical workers exposed to low concentrations of organic and inorganic air pollutants

Occupational exposure to respiratory irritants may effect respiratory function in workers exposed to ambient air pollutants in the workplace. We studied 567 male and 135 female workers employed in two chemical plants in Zagreb, Croatia. Measurements of the ambient concentrations of air pollutants were performed. The mean age of the men was 37 years and mean duration of employment was 12 years; a majority of these workers were smokers. The mean age of the women was 37 years with a mean duration of employment of 14 years; only one-third of the women smoked. An unexposed group of 340 male and 110 female unexposed workers was also studied. Acute and chronic work related symptoms were recorded for all workers. Ventilatory capacity was measured by recording maximum expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves. Our data suggest that in this population of chemical workers exposed to low levels of pollutants respiratory symptoms were primarily associated with smoking. Environmental effects, possibly due to an interaction of pollutants were also suggested.