The Effect of Cement Dust on the Lung Function in a Cement Factory, Iran

The present study aimed at assessing cement dust exposure and its relationship to lung function at a Portland cement factory in Ilam, Iran. Lung function tests were carried out on 112 workers at the cement factory in 2008-09. Simultaneously 85 non exposed workers were used as control. Lung function tests were performed for all subjects. Additionally, total dust level was determined by the gravimetric method. Moreover, X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique was performed to determine the SiO2 contents of the bulk samples. The arithmetic means (AM) of personal total dust were higher in the crusher (27.49 mg/m3), packing (16.90 mg/m3), kiln (15.60 mg/m3), cement mill (13.07 mg/m3), raw mill (10.31 mg /m3) than in the maintenance (3.14 mg /m3), and administration (1.55 mg/m3). The geometrical mean (GM) concentration was 12.12 mg/m3, which were considerably higher than occupational exposure limit (OEL) of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), which is 10 mg/m3. Based on the results, the probability of the long-term mean exposure exceeding to the OEL of 10 mg/m3 for total dust were higher in the kiln (100%), packing (100%), cement mill (90%), crusher (73%), raw mill (60%) than in the maintenance (0%), and administration (2.3%). Ventiliatory function evaluation, as measured by the function parameters, showed that 35.7% of the exposed workers had abnormality in lung function compared with 5.7% of those unexposed. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that exposed workers compared to the unexposed groups showed significant reductions in Forced Expiratory Volume in one second percent (FEV1), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC (p < 0.05).