Mortality and cancer morbidity in workers from an aluminium smelter with prebaked carbon anodes. III: Mortality from circulatory and respiratory diseases

The study investigated associations between exposure to pot emissions and morality from chronic obstructive lung disease, coal tar pitch volatiles and mortality from diseases related to atherosclerosis, and carbon monoxide and mortality from ischaemic heart disease. Mortality between 1962 to 1991 was investigated in a cohort of 1085 men hired by a Norwehean aluminium smelter between 1922 and 1975. Associations between cumulative exposure and mortality were investigated through SMR analysis based on national mortality rates; temporal relations were explored by considering exposures only within specific time windows. Circulatory mortality was also investigated by Poisson regression analysis. The data support previous findings of increased mortality from ischaemic heart disease in workers exposed to tar and some support is also provided for earlier reports of increased respiratory mortality in potroom workers.