Endotoxin in cotton dust: a respiratory hazard with implications for worker health in both agriculture and manufacturing.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Castellan, Robert M. ; Kennedy RD ; Olenchock SA ; Rinsley KB
• Description:
  The Public Health Service's Year 2000 Objectives for the Nation call for the elimination of exposures that cause byssinosis ("brown lung disease"), an occupational lung disorder which affects cotton workers. Recent research on the etiology of byssinosis has contributed substantially to the body of knowledge necessary to achieve this goal. Although byssinosis is usually considered in the context of the textile manufacturing industry, results of this recent research have implications for both agricultural worker health and agricultural practices which may prevent downstream risk in manufacturing. Recent experimental evidence has clearly demonstrated that the acute airway response of humans exposed to cotton dust is associated with airborne endotoxin concentration. Cotton is contaminated by endotoxin-containing gram-negative bacteria while in the field before harvest. Local cotton growing conditions appear to substantially affect the level of colonization by gram-negative bacteria, resulting in wide variation in the potency of cotton dust with respect to endotoxin. A survey of commercial cotton gins has revealed substantial regional differences in endotoxin contamination of airborne cotton dust. In addition to regional effects, year-to-year variability within the same growing location has been observed in the level of endotoxin contamination of experimentally-generated cardroom dust. Subsequent environmental sampling of cardroom work areas in selected commercial cotton textile mills has shown that area of growth differences are also reflected in yam manufacturing processes. Airborne endotoxin concentrations in work areas of both agriculture and manufacturing range widely, from relatively low levels to levels which may represent a substantial respiratory hazard. Byssinosis prevention may be enhanced by appropriately applying knowledge of how to limit the natural tendency for gram-negative bacteria to colonize cotton. Therefore, defining the factors which influence the level of gram-negative bacterial contamination of cotton is a prime objective of ongoing research. Furthermore, because of the relationship between endotoxin exposure and byssinosis, a pilot surveillance system to monitor endotoxin in cotton is currently under development.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Air Pollutants, Occupational Chemistry Hazardous Substances Occupational Health Safety Sulfhydryl Compounds Sulfur Compounds
• Keywords:
  Agricultural-industry Agricultural-workers Airborne Fibers Bacteria Byssinosis Cotton Dust Cotton Harvesting Cotton Industry Cotton Mill Workers Cotton Pickers Endotoxins Environmental Exposure Etiology Exposure Levels Farmers Farm Workers Hazards Humans Lung Disorders Manufacturing Men Risk Factors Safety-practices Women Work Environment Worker-health Workers

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• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  562
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20055999
• Citation:
  Papers and Proceedings of the Surgeon General's Conference on Agricultural Safety and Health (FarmSafe 2000). Myers ML, Herrick RF, Olenchock SA, Myers JR, Parker, John E., Hard DL, Wilson K, eds. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 92-105, 1992 Sep; :562
• Editor(s):
  Myers ML ; Herrick RF ; Olenchock SA ; Myers JR ; Parker, John E. ; Hard DL ; Wilson K
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1992
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Papers and Proceedings of the Surgeon General's Conference on Agricultural Safety and Health (FarmSafe 2000), April 30-May 3, 1991, Des Moines, Iowa
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:16ee3c8b9268e0a4f5529d5e42b6f07e2cb865b8ceec66684fdb14768e44dd2d358f2cdc7105bcf64972e148a56354b514dca23f15c3994cbd653ce0bd6a66f6
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/181763/cdc_181763_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 68.56 KB ]