TO THE QUESTION OF INDUSTRIAL AEROSOL CONTROL IN THE PROCESSING OF BLISTER COPPER

Due to the predominance of PM1 particles in the air samples, the following metals were found in the aerosol: copper, zinc, silicon, iron, lead, sulfur, arsenic, aluminum, antimony, tin, magnesium, cadmium and several other metals. The content of sulfates was significantly noted. These physical and chemical properties show a considerable toxic potential of industrial aerosol. The MPC of lead, sulfur and silicon dioxides, as well as nitrogen oxides and formaldehyde were detected in the working air. Meanwhile, copper, zinc, and iron did not exceed their MPC. Moreover, an underestimation of the aerosol was observed within the framework of industrial control. It has been found that the aerosol components may have an irritating, reprotoxic, allergenic, and carcinogenic effect on the body. Further consideration of the dispersed and chemical composition of the aerosol is required to determine the concentration of identified substances in the working air and the limiting components determining its biological effect.

Assessment of cytotoxicity of an original industrial aerosol containing a high percentage of amorphous silica in the nanometer range

Introduction. At the current stage of hygienic evaluation, the substantiation of at least approximate safe concentrations in the ambient air of populated areas for nanoparticles is an up-to-date challenge. Its persistence dissolves the guidelines for risk management and divests the supervisory bodies of legal support. A comparative toxicological evaluation of the studied substance and its chemical analogue is one of the guidelines for the academic substantiation of the hygienic standards for the permissible content of hazardous substances in the air. It already has previously defined exposure standards. Materials and methods. To investigate the cytotoxicity of the studied particles, a shift of the cellular composition of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was used. Also, some biochemical measurements of the BALF supernatant were investigated. Outbred female rats were instilled with a suspension of particles in the volume of 1 ml of various concentrations in the form of an intratracheal suspension. Distilled water was used as a solvent. Statistical analysis of the data obtained was performed using the Student’s t-test. Results. The comparative assessment of the cytotoxicity of an original industrial aerosol containing 72% amorphous silica with an average particle size of 90 nm (SiO2 IA) was performed. It also included engineered particles of amorphous silica with an average size of 43 nm (SiO2 NPs), a commercial, an industrial sample of 100% amorphous silica with a particle size of 5 to 60 nm (amorphous SiO2), and a reference sample of standard quartz DQ12 in a volume of 1 ml of water suspension. Under the findings of changes in the cellular composition of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid 24 hours after the intratracheal instillation of these particles, it was revealed that the biological power (in terms of the NL/AM ratio) of both SiO2 NPs and amorphous SiO2 is statistically much higher than the industrial aerosol under study. It is also higher than the standard quartz dust DQ12. In this regard, the cytotoxicity of SiO2 IA may be explained by the predominant content of amorphous silica nanoparticles in it. Conclusion. Under the obtained results, the appropriateness of using indicative safe exposure levels (ISEL) of 0.02 mg/m3 for amorphous silica needs to be reviewed. The safe reference level of impact guideline does not contain data concerning the particle size and the percentage of amorphous SiO2 in the aerosol. Nevertheless, it is impossible to pollute the ambient air with an aerosol containing only this substance.

On the issue of assessing the occupational risk of diseases of dust aetiology

Introduction. In the Russian Federation, occupational diseases associated with exposure to industrial aerosols occupy third place in the structure of occupational pathology. The predominant forms of occupational diseases included chronic dust bronchitis, pneumoconiosis( silicosis), chronic obstructive (asthmatic) bronchitis. For an objective assessment of dust exposure and calculation of the occupational health risk of employees of “dust” professions, it is advisable to clarify the criteria and methodology for assessing dust exposure as an independent and informative hygienic characteristic. The purpose of the study is to formulate additional criteria for assessing the risk of exposure to industrial aerosol; to substantiate the methodology for calculating the accumulation of dust particles in the lungs as an informative characteristic of inhaled dust that is subject to hygienic assessment when calculating the dust load, to clarify the methodology for managing the health risk of dust professions workers. Material and methods. The paper uses the technique of mathematical modelling. The calculation of the time of finding dust particles, taking into account their dispersion in various parts of the tracheobronchial tree, was carried out. Results. Taking into account the methodology for calculating the dust exposure by the value of the inhaled dust mass, additional criteria for assessing the hazard of exposure to industrial aerosol were formulated; the methodology for calculating the accumulated dust mass (ADM) was justified, the formation of ADM in tracheobronchial tree sites was estimated, taking into account the time dependence of the removal of dust particles of various dispersities from the tracheobronchial tree was estimated. The results of the study contribute to the improvement of hygienic criteria for the danger and harmfulness of working conditions according to the dust factor, the justification of preventive measures. Conclusions. The choice of the ADM index to clarify the information content of the calculated dust load value is justified. Improving the methodology of dust control helps to preserve employees’ health and reduce the level of occupational and production-related diseases.

The impact of the weakly-fibrogenic bauxite dust on lungs in mine workers

Introduction. New cases of pneumoconiosis are detected annually at the bauxite mining enterprises of the Sverdlovsk Region. Differential diagnosis of bauxite pneumoconiosis with other interstitial lung diseases using only lung radiography can be difficult. The aim of the work was to clarify the nature of changes in the lungs of workers exposed to weakly fibrogenic dust of bauxite, and the relationship of changes in the lungs with working conditions in cases of difficulty in making the final diagnosis of pneumoconiosis. Material and methods. Underground miners of a working face and underground drifters with a work experience of at least ten years in conditions of exposure to bauxite dust were examined. All patients underwent a plain chest x-ray and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), bodyplethysmography, bronchoscopic examination with trans-bronchial biopsy, and subsequent histological examination of the biopsy. To determine the elemental composition of micro- and nanoparticles in biological tissue samples, scanning electron microscopy with X-ray spectral microanalysis was used. Results. During the histopathological examination of lung tissue biopsy materials by a bright-field method and polarized filter and using electron microscopy, the composition of dust in the lung tissue complied with the composition of industrial aerosol. It is formed during bauxite mining (aluminum, iron, and quartz compounds). High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and bronchoscopy can detect signs of exposure to industrial aerosol of complex composition represented by early interstitial parenchymal fibrosis and changes in bronchial mucosa. This is typical for individuals at risk of occupational respiratory diseases development without radiological features specific to pneumoconiosis. Before X-ray pattern formation, typical for pneumoconiosis, bronchitis syndrome and atrophic changes in the bronchial mucosa are developed. This happens in workers exposed to weakly-fibrogenic dust of a complex composition formed during the mining of bauxite. The changes are permanently observed long after the exposure to the dust factor has ceased.

Cellular markers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from exposure to nanoparticlecontaining aerosols

Introduction. The role of industrial aerosol nanoparticles in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is still poorly understood. The aim of study is to determine the distribution of monocyte subpopulations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease under the influence of industrial aerosols containing nanoparticles. Materials and methods. A single-center cohort observational study included patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (GOLD 2011 criteria) who were exposed to industrial aerosols (n=32), COPD patients, tobacco smokers (n=35), and conditionally healthy individuals without occupational hazards (n=29). Nanoparticles in the air of the working area were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy. Metal-containing nanoparticles (Pb, Fe, Cr) predominated in the casters' workplaces, while the grinders were mainly exposed to silicon dioxide nanoparticles. The groups were comparable by gender, age, and duration of COPD. Monocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood were determined by flow cytofluorometry. Results. In COPD patients who worked in contact with an industrial aerosol containing metal nanoparticles, the proportion of "classical" CD14+CD16- monocytes was increased, and the proportion of "intermediate" CD14+CD16+ and "non-classical" CD14dimCD16+ was reduced. The percentage of "non-classical" monocytes exposed to silicon dioxide nanoparticles was increased, and the percentage of "intermediate" monocytes was reduced. At the same time, the proportion of classical monocytes was highest in patients with COPD who worked under the influence of metal nanoparticles (84.3%±6.3%), intermediate monocytes - in patients with COPD due to tobacco smoking (6.1%±1.5%), non-classical monocytes - in the group of COPD and contact with silicon dioxide nanoparticles (20.45%±0.25%). Conclusions. COPD under the influence of industrial aerosol containing metal nanoparticles is characterized by an increase in the proportion of "classical' monocytes, and silicon dioxide nanoparticles - "non-classical”. The level of subpopulations of blood monocytes is a promising marker of professionally caused COPD.

AEROSOL PLUMES CHARACTERIZATION BY HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGES COUPLED WITH SENTINEL-2 PRODUCTS

In this paper, we focus on the retrieval of microphysical and optical properties of industrial aerosol plumes through a process using airborne hyperspectral and Sentinel-2 multi-spectral images. The process allows first to perform atmospheric correction and second to determine background aerosols thanks to a comparison between hyperspectral and Sentinel-2 reflectances. Hyperspectral methodologies use the radiance differential between the measurement in the plume and the corresponding measurements out of the plume to estimate plume properties. To retrieve the surface reflectance under the plume, a principal component analysis coupling hyperspectral and multispectral data class by class is achieved. The developed method aims to compare the difference between measured and estimated reflectance with a radiative transfer model accounting for plume properties (particle radius and aerosol optical thickness of the plume). We have applied the method to a steel plant in the south of France. The retrieved plume show an aerosol mean radius between 0.05 and 0.2 µm with a mean aerosol optical thickness about 0.05 along the plume.

Diagnostic importance of cytokine balance by the action of various factors of production

It is shown that under the influence of the noise vibration factor, the CI fluctuated within 0.44-0.58 y. e., under the influence of industrial aerosol, an increase in IC from 0.5 to 0.97y. e. this indicates the frequency and severity of inflammatory reactions of the body in working dusty professions.