Summary
In a plant for the electrolytic extraction of aluminium which started to operate in 1973 207 workers were medically examined in view of some of the workers' complaints of respiratory symptoms which they associated with occupational exposure.
The results of the study showed that only 4.9 % of workers had symptoms defined as chronic bronchitis (87 % of workers were younger than 40 years of age). On the other hand a rather large number (10.2 %) complained of paroxysmal wheezing with dyspnea. Out of 21 subjects with such complaints 19 claimed that the bronchoconstrictive symptoms appeared after they had started to work in the potrooms. Only two of them had similar symptoms earlier.
Pulmonary function tests revealed a slight decrease in the mean values (compared with the predicted ones) of FVC and FEV1.0 and a higher decrease in the mean values of MEF50% particularly in those workers who complained of symptoms of paroxysmal wheezing with dyspnea.
Owing to the technological process used in the plant (Alu-Swiss process) it is most likely that the respiratory effect is due to the action of hydrogen fluoride (and particulate fluorides). However, the mechanism of this effect particularly from the point of view of an increased respiratory susceptibility in a number of exposed workers remains to be better explained.
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The results of this study were presented at the First International Meeting on Occupational Health, Lisbon, October 9–15, 1977
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Šaric, M., Gomzi, M., Hrustic, O. et al. Respiratory impairment in the electrolytic extraction of aluminium. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 42, 217–221 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377775
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377775