Pneumoconiosis in carbon electrode workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Becker PE ; Davidson CA ; Kennedy K ; Petsonk, Edward L. ; Storey, Eileen ; Vallyathan V
• Description:
  Five cases of pneumoconiosis in carbon electrode manufacturing workers were described. Exposures and potential exposures in the facility employing these workers included coke dust, pitch fumes and dust, silica (14808607), graphite (7782425) dust, and asbestos (1332214). Cases were all male with ages of 49, 70, 64, 67, and 58 years at first examination. Two were lifelong nonsmokers, and job tenures ranged from 24 to 35 years. Chest auscultation, chest x-rays, and pulmonary function tests were carried out. Auscultation was normal in one case, revealed fine basilar crackles in two cases, and indicated hyperresonance in two. Variable radiographic abnormalities were noted. Small opacities were generally of the linear/irregular type. Small rounded opacities but no large opacities were seen. One case showed normal spirometry results, and two each showed an obstructive or restrictive pattern. Three had impaired gas exchange. Lung biopsy material was examined in detail in one case. Considerable birefringent crystalline material was present; the amount of free silica was less than that noted in typical simple silicosis. A coarse black pigment, probably carbon (7440440), and fibrous aluminum-silicate (12141467) predominated. A mixed dust exposure was suggested. The authors conclude that these cases suggest that pneumotoxic exposures in this industry continued at least into the early 1960s and that control measures should be evaluated for efficacy. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Case Reports Coal Coal Tar Dust Lung Lung Diseases Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety

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• Keywords:
  Case-studies Coal-tar-pitch Coke-oven-emissions Dust-exposure JOCMA7 Medical-examinations NIOSH-Author Occupational-exposure Occupational-health Pulmonary-disorders Pulmonary-system-disorders

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• ISSN:
  0096-1736
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  30
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00186938
• Citation:
  J Occup Med 1988 Nov; 30(11):887-891
• CAS Registry Number:
  Aluminum silicate (Al2SiO5) (CAS RN 12141-46-7) ; Asbestos (CAS RN 1332-21-4) ; Carbon (CAS RN 7440-44-0) ; Graphite (CAS RN 7782-42-5) ; Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1989
• NORA Priority Area:
  Pulmonary System Disorders
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d1c268b42b53c9b4bafc56fd5fd211c7eb91789f0b48033c8fb486edd27438b1691329d35e8d49dc18629ce75065e7e4d1d18e04855cf60f40677655b2a0f39d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/205370/cdc_205370_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 393.88 KB ]