Abstract
Objectives: Systemic effects of organic dust inhalation have been described in farming environments. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a single exposure at a biowaste composting facility could also exert systemic effects in healthy volunteers not previously exposed to organic dust from such facilities. Methods: Seventeen subjects (age 20–35 years) were exposed to organic dust for 2 h (exposure day) during moderate exercise; 12 of these subjects also took part in a control experiment (control day). Spirometry was performed before and immediately after the exposure. White blood cell counts and levels of tumor-necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in peripheral blood were determined before and 3 h after exposure. Results: Exposures did not result in significant changes in lung function or blood cytokine levels. In contrast, the number and percentage of neutrophils increased during the exposure day [median (range) percent change of percentages 14 (−2; 67) %; P=0.002], but not during the control day [5 (−22; 35) %; P=0.66). Furthermore, there was a decrease in the number and percentage of eosinophils during the exposure day [−47 (−57; 0.0) %; P=0.002], whereas the change during the control day was smaller [−8 (−56; 71) %; P=0.68]. Conclusion: Short-term exposure of healthy, young subjects to organic dust from composting facilities had opposite effects on the numbers of blood neutrophils and blood eosinophils. These effects, though mild, suggest that even during a limited period of moderate work a sufficient amount of bioactive material can be deposited in the lung to elicit acute systemic alterations.
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Acknowledgements
We thank all study subjects for their participation and Mr. Bauer for providing us with the opportunity of performing exposures in a real-life setting. We are grateful to Angelika Kronseder, Dr. Rudolf Schierl and Stephan Gröbmair for laboratory analyses. The study was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG; No 262-6/1).
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Müller, T., Jörres, R.A., Scharrer, E.M. et al. Acute blood neutrophilia induced by short-term compost dust exposure in previously unexposed healthy individuals. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 79, 477–482 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0083-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0083-x