Journal of Occupational Health
Online ISSN : 1348-9585
Print ISSN : 1341-9145
ISSN-L : 1341-9145
Volume 43, Issue 2
Displaying 1-9 of 9 articles from this issue
  • Shinji KUMAGAI, Shigeki KODA, Takashi MIYAKITA, Hideki YAMAGUCHI, Keni ...
    2001 Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 61-69
    Published: 2001
    Released on J-STAGE: March 27, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Estimation of Dioxin Exposure Concentrations and Dioxin Intakes of Workers at Continuously Burning Municipal Waste Incinerators: Shinji KuMAGAI, et al. Department of Occupational Health, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health—In order to examine the dioxin exposure level in incinerator workers, total dust concentration in the breathing zone and dioxin concentrations in fly ash, slag and deposited dust were determined at three municipal waste incineration plants A, B and C equipped with continuously burning incinerators of stoker type. Three incinerators were operated at plants A and B, and four at plant C. The incinerators of plants A and B were equipped with electrostatic precipitators for removing particulate matter from the flue gas stream. In plant C, three incinerators were equipped with electrostatic precipitators and one with a bag filter. Total dust exposure concentrations during daily operation of the incinerators were 0.11 to 1.50 mg/m3, and dioxin concentrations in the deposited dust were 1.0 to 6.4 ng toxicity equivalent (TEQ)/g. Dioxin exposure concentrations were estimated to be 0.5 to 7.1 pg TEQ/m3. Total dust exposure concentrations during periodic cleaning of the inside of the incinerator were 30 to 780 mg/m3, and dioxin concentrations in the slag were 0.004 to 1.1 ng TEQ/g. Dioxin exposure concentrations were estimated to be 0.5 to 48 pg TEQ/m3. Total dust exposure concentrations during periodic cleaning of the inside of the electrostatic precipirator were 51 to 2, 000 mg/m3, and dioxin concentrations in the fly ash were 7.3 to 64 ng TEQ/g. Dioxin exposure concentrations were estimated to be 370 to 92, 000 pg TEQ/m3, which were 150 to 37, 000 times as high as the dioxin administrative level (2.5 pg TEQ/m3). Total of occupational and environmental dioxin intakes for an incinerator worker is predicted to exceed the tolerable daily intake (TDI: 4 pg TEQ/kg/d), when dioxin concentration in fly ash is 1, 000 ng TEQ/g, even if an airline mask is used during the periodic maintenance. Consequently, it is essential to decrease the dioxin concentration in fly ash. When the dioxin concentration in fly ash is no higher than 100 ng TEQ/g, if an airline mask is used during the periodic maintenance, the dioxin intake is predicted to be lower than the TDI. Thus, wearing an airline mask would be effective. (J Occup Health 2001; 43: 61-69)
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  • Mieko IWAMOTO, Akira NAGAI, Seiichiro TAKAHASHI, Noriaki HARADA
    2001 Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 70-74
    Published: 2001
    Released on J-STAGE: March 27, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Effect of Hospitalization on Urinary Catecholamine Excretion in Patients with Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome: Mieko IWAMOTO, et al. Department of Hygiene, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine—The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hospitalization for five weeks on the autonomic nervous activity of patients with hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAYS). Urine samples were collected from ten patients with HAVS before, during, and after hospitalization. Amounts of urinary free catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine) were measured. Urinary excretion of norepinephrine and dopamine during hospitalization was significantly lower than that before hospitalization. The effect of hospitalization continued for 10 days after hospitalization. The results of this study suggest that hospitalization is useful for the treatment of patients with HAVS to reduce the sympathetic hyperactivity. (J Occup Health 2001; 43: 70-74)
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  • Zhongyi ZHANG, Xiuling WANG, Leiguang LIN, Shudong XING, Yonghui Wu, Y ...
    2001 Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 75-79
    Published: 2001
    Released on J-STAGE: March 27, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The Effects of Carbon Fibre and Carbon Fibre Composite Dusts on Bronchoalveolar Lavage Component of Rats: Zhongyi ZHANG, et al. Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, People''s Republic of China—Carbon fibre (CF) and carbon fibre composite (CFC) as new materials have increasing industrial application. The People''s Republic of China now manufactures CF and CFC. This paper predicted their potential toxicity to human using bronchoalveolar lavage technique on the basis of comparisons with positive reference materials (quartz and chrysotile) and negative reference materials (titanium dioxide and alumina (SAFFIL) fibre). All rats dosed with dust showed some increase in lung weight relative to the saline control, though the only significant differences were seen between the rats dosed with quartz or chrysotile and those dosed with saline. From the morphological observation of lavage cells, a benign reaction of macrophages to CF and CFC was observed, whereas a series of changes in macrophages was involved in rats dosed with quartz and chrysotile. CF and CFC did not induce a significant increase in the total cell count or percentages of neutrophils and lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage. The two materials tested had much lower toxicity than that of quartz and chrysotile, and were comparable with the effect induced by titanium dioxide and SAFFIL fibre which had minimal toxicity. The present work provides a scientific basis for the setting of occupational health standards for carbon fibre and carbon fibre composite dust in the workplace. (J Occup Health 2001; 43: 75-79)
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  • Yoshiaki HASHIMOTO, Azusa FUTAMURA, Hideo NAKARAI, Hiromitsu YOKOTA, M ...
    2001 Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 80-84
    Published: 2001
    Released on J-STAGE: March 27, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Association between Deletion Polymorphism of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Gene and Proteinuria in Japanese Overweight Men: Yoshiaki HASHIMOTO, et al. Departments of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The University of Tokyo Hospital—A cross-sectional study was performed in 237 overweight men (BMI: 25.0-34.8 kg/m2) to investigate the relationship between an insertion (I)/ deletion (D) polymorphism of intron 16 of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene and proteinuria. Proteinuria (± or greater) was determined with a reagent strip. The prevalences of proteinuria were 9.2, 13.3 and 24.3% in the subjects with the ACE II, ID and DD genotype, respectively. There was a significant difference between the II and the DD genotypes in the prevalence of proteinuria. No difference among the three genotypes was observed in blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and HbA1C. When the subjects were divided into two groups according to the result of urinalysis, the prevalence of the DD genotype was significantly higher in the group with proteinuria (28.1 %) than in the group without it (13.7%). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the ACE DD genotype was independently related to proteinuria. The results suggest that the ACE DD genotype may be an independent risk factor of proteinuria in Japanese overweight men. It is specially important for subjects with the ACE DD genotype to prevent the other risk factors of proteinuria such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity by keeping healthy life-style habits. (J Occup Health 2001; 43: 80-84)
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  • Toshio KOBAYASHI, Yuji MIYOSHI, Kazue YAMAOKA, Eiji YANO
    2001 Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 85-89
    Published: 2001
    Released on J-STAGE: March 27, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Relationship between Hematological Parameters and Incidence of Ischemic Heart Diseases among Japanese White-Collar Male Workers: Toshio KOBAYASHI, et al. Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine—The determination whether high hematocrit (Hct) and hemoglobin (Hb) are risk factors for ischemic heart diseases (IHD) remains controversial in Japan. To examine whether hematological parameters are independent risk factors for IHD, we conducted a case control study among 3, 924 Japanese male white-collar workers aged 35-60 yr. IHD cases were defined as men with a first episode of acute myocardial infarction or angina pectoris during the investigation period (from April 1995 to April 2000). Five controls without a history of IHD were assigned for each case, matching for age and smoking status. Twenty-two IHD cases were developed during the study period and 110 controls were assigned. Hematological parameters, obtained from periodic health examinations undergone before the onset of the disease, were analyzed with the conditional logistic regression model. Multivariate adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95%Cl) were estimated, controlling for Body Mass Index, total cholesterol, alcohol use, hypertension and fasting blood sugar. Crude OR (95%CI) for Hct, Hb, red blood cell count (RBC) and Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were 1.21 (1.03-1.42), 2.04 (1.17-3.56), 1.09 (0.96-1.24) and 1.09 (0.98-1.22), respectively. The multivariate adjusted OR (95%Cl) for Hct, Hb, RBC and MCV were 1.28 (1.06-1.54), 2.75 (1.39-5.46), 1.08 (0.92-1.28) and 1.09 (0.97-1.24), respectively. These results suggest that Hct and Hb are independent risk factors for ischemic heart diseases among Japanese middle-aged male white-collar workers. (J Occup Health 2001; 43: 85-89)
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  • Saiyed Shakeel Ahmed ZAIDI, Sunil KUMAR, Sumitra J. GANDHI, Habibullah ...
    2001 Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 90-91
    Published: 2001
    Released on J-STAGE: March 27, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • Hiroyuki MIYAUCHI, Shigeru TANAKA, Tetsuo NOMIYAMA, Yukio SEKI, Shun'' ...
    2001 Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 92-94
    Published: 2001
    Released on J-STAGE: March 27, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • Akihiko SEKI, Hideki TAKEHARA, Tomoko TAKIGAWA, Takashi HIDEHIRA, Shoj ...
    2001 Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 95-100
    Published: 2001
    Released on J-STAGE: March 27, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Use of Material Safety Data Sheets at Workplaces Handling Harmful Substances in Okayama, Japan: Akihiko SEKI, et al. Department of Public Health, Okayama University Medical School—In April 2000, the revised Industrial Safety and Health Law, which prescribes the creation and issue of material safety data sheets (MSDSs), was enforced in Japan. Before the enforcement, we conducted a survey relating to the use of MSDSs in hazardous workplaces in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. We sent questionnaires to all workplaces possibly using hazardous chemicals, and answers from 422 workplaces, where hazardous chemicals were used but not produced, were analyzed. One-third of the workplaces did not request MSDSs at the time of chemical transfer. In more than half of the workplaces, MSDSs were not posted or kept. The main reason for such lack of use or misuse of the MSDS system was a lack of knowledge and understanding of the system. In addition, half of the respondents considered that MSDS documents were unsatisfactory because of the difficult words used in them. These two problems, i.e., a lack of knowledge and understanding of the MSDS system, and the use of difficult words in the documents, should be remedied in order for the MSDS system to be implemented effectively and thereby protect workers from the harmful effects of chemicals. ((I)J Occup Health 2001; 43: 95-100(/I))
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  • Seok-Joon SOHN, Jin-Su CHOI
    2001 Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 101-105
    Published: 2001
    Released on J-STAGE: March 27, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Pesticide Poisoning among Farmers in a Rural Province of Korea: Seok-Joon SOHN, et al. Department of Preventive Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and The Research Institute of Medical Science, Chonnam National University—Pesticide poisoning is one of the most important occupational health hazards for farmers, but the exact prevalence or incidence of the poisoning has not been fully investigated in Korea. The present study assessed the pesticide poisoning in a rural province of Korea based on episodes reported by farmers. The total number of interviewees in this survey was 8, 831. Of these, only 8, 420 farmers who worked longer than one hour every day during the past one year were included in the analysis. Questionnaires collected from 8, 420 persons were analyzed by means of a SAS statistical package. The average days spent for pesticide spraying was 6.8; the farmers at work experienced pesticide-related symptoms during the last one-year period at the rate of 7.0%; the average length of a hospital stay was 4.4 d: and the period of clinic visit averaged 1.7 d. Pesticide poisoning was statistically related with age, sex, region of residence and degree of pesticide use. Among the complaints in the farmers' syndrome, pesticide poisoning was significantly related with shoulder stiffness, sleeplessness, dizziness and a feeling of abdominal fullness, but not with lumbago, limb paresthesia, nocturnal frequency or dyspnea. The present data offer the baseline for the health resources planning and rural health program. (J Occup Health 2001; 43: 101-105)
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