Exposure of bakery and pastry apprentices to airborne flour dust using PM_2.5and PM₁₀personal samplers

• Main Authors: Paris Christophe (Author), Mouchot Lory (Author), Barthélemy Jean-François (Author), Mounier-Geyssant Estelle (Author), Zmirou-Navier Denis (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: BMC, 2007-11-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study describes exposure levels of bakery and pastry apprentices to flour dust, a known risk factor of occupational asthma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Questionnaires on work activity were completed by 286 students. Among them, 34 performed a series of two personal exposure measurements using a PM_2.5and PM₁₀personal sampler during a complete work shift, one during a cold ("winter") period, and the other during a hot ("summer") period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Bakery apprentices experience greater average PM_2.5and PM₁₀exposures than pastry apprentices (p < 0.006). Exposure values for both particulate fractions are greater in winter (average PM₁₀values among bakers = 1.10 mg.m^-3[standard deviation: 0.83]) than in summer (0.63 mg.m^-3[0.36]). While complying with current European occupational limit values, these exposures exceed the ACGIH recommendations set to prevent sensitization to flour dust (0.5 mg.m^-3). Over half the facilities had no ventilation system.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Young bakery apprentices incur substantial exposure to known airways allergens, a situation that might elicit early induction of airways inflammation.</p>

Item Description

10.1186/1471-2458-7-311
1471-2458