SBV Journal of Basic, Clinical and Applied Health Science

Register      Login

VOLUME 5 , ISSUE 2 ( April-June, 2022 ) > List of Articles

REVIEW ARTICLE

A Review of Effect of Occupational Exposure of Silica on Lung Functions

S Vidhya Priya, Viswambhar Vallabaneni, R Ragulan, Jereen Varghese

Keywords : Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Silica, Silicosis, Spirometry pulmonary function tests

Citation Information : Priya SV, Vallabaneni V, Ragulan R, Varghese J. A Review of Effect of Occupational Exposure of Silica on Lung Functions. 2022; 5 (2):43-46.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10082-03150

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 25-05-2022

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2022; The Author(s).


Abstract

Millions and millions of people are working daily in an atmosphere filled with respirable dust particles. Crystalline silica is an important dust particle which is generated in many occupations like stone carving, quarrying, sand blasting, shipping, ceramic industry, etc. The workers who are constantly exposed to the silica particle on a regular basis are more likely to develop occupational lung diseases like pneumoconiosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, etc. These cause a decline in the lung functions. The purpose of this review article is to narrate the effects of occupational exposure of silica on lung functions. The spirometry results revealed a decline in forced expiratory volume 1 second, forced vital capacity, and ratio of forced expiratory volume 1 second to forced vital capacity. This reveals the need for proper education of the employees to take adequate preventive measures during working like wearing protective personal equipment, periodic screening, etc.


HTML PDF Share
  1. Tavakol E, Azari M, Zendehdel R, Salehpour S, Khodakrim S, Nikoo S, et al. Risk evaluation of construction workers’ exposure to silica dust and the possible lung function impairments. Tanaffos 2017;16(4): 295–303. PMID: 29849687.
  2. Altindag ZZ, Baydar T, Isimer A, Sahin G. Neopterin as a new biomarker for the evaluation of occupational exposure to silica. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2003;76(4):318–322. DOI: 10.1007/s00420-003-0434-9.
  3. Omidianidost A, Ghasemkhani M, Kakooei H, Shahtaheri SJ, Ghanbari M. Risk assessment of occupational exposure to crystalline silica in small foundries in Pakdasht, Iran. Iran J Public Health 2016;45(1):70–75. PMID: 27057524.
  4. Mlika M, Adigun R, Bhutta BS. Silicosis. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537341/.
  5. Meo SA, Al-Drees AM, Al Masri AA, Al Rouq F, Azeem MA. Effect of duration of exposure to cement dust on respiratory function of non-smoking cement mill workers. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2013;10(1):390–398. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph10010390.
  6. Ranu H, Wilde M, Madden B. Pulmonary function tests. Ulster Med J 2011;80(2):84–90. PMID: 22347750.
  7. InformedHealth.org. What kind of lung function tests are there and what do they involve? 2016. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK355303/.
  8. Prevention Clinics. Pulmonary function tests in NJ. 2019. Available from: https://preventionclinics.com/primary-care/medical- testing/pulmonary-function-tests-new-jersey/.
  9. Johns DP, Pierce R. Pocket guide to spirometry. The measurement and interpretation of ventilatory function in clinical practice. 2007. p. 11.
  10. Pulmonary function tests|definition of pulmonary function tests by medical dictionary. Available from: https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/pulmonary+function+tests.
  11. Pulmonary function testing–pulmonology advisor. 2019. Available from: https://www.pulmonologyadvisor.com/home/decision-support-in- medicine/pulmonary-medicine/pulmonary-function-testing/.
  12. Takala J, Hämäläinen P, Saarela KL, Yun LY, Manickam K, Jin TW, et al. Global estimates of the burden of injury and illness at work in 2012. J Occup Environ Hyg 2014;11(5):326–337. DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2013.863131.
  13. Kyaw WT, Kuang X, Sakakibara M. Health impact assessment of artisanal and small-scale gold mining area in Myanmar, Mandalay Region: preliminary research. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020;17(18):6757. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186757.
  14. Nwibo AN, Ugwuja EI, Nwambeke NO, Emelumadu OF, Ogbonnaya LU. Pulmonary problems among quarry workers of stone crushing industrial site at Umuoghara, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Int J Occup Environ Med 2012;3(4):178–185. PMID: 23022868.
  15. Paterson BF, Patterson R, Grammer LC. Pathogenesis of occupational lung disease. Clin Rev Allergy 1986;4(3):303–321. DOI: 10.1007/BF02993163.
  16. Sen S, Mitra R, Mukherjee S, Das P, Moitra S. Silicosis in current scenario: a review of literature. Curr Respir Med Rev 2015;11(999):1. DOI: 10.2174/1573398X11666151026221845.
  17. Htun ZZ, Win YY, Myat AM, Naing SM. Lung function impairment and workplace control measures among marble stone carvers in Sa-Kyin Village, Madayar Township, Myanmar. Int J Occup Saf Health 2021;11(1):25–30. DOI: 10.3126/ijosh.v11i1.34972.
  18. Tarlo SM. Occupational lung disease. vol. 1, Goldman's cecil medicine: 24th ed. 2012. pp. 567–574.
  19. Thongtip S, Siviroj P, Deesomchok A, Prapamontol T, Wisetborisut A, Khacha-Ananda S. Effects of high silica exposure on respiratory disorders among stone-mortar workers in Northern Thailand. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 2019;50(2):401–410. https://www.tm.mahidol.ac.th/seameo/2019-50-2/20-7651-18-401.pdf.
  20. Ghotkar VB, Maldhure BR, Zodpey SP. Involvement of lung and lung function tests in stone quarry workers. Indian J Tuberc 1995;42: 155–160. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/3157563.
  21. Aghilinejad M, Naserbakht A, Naserbakht M, Attari G. Silicosis among stone-cutter workers: a cross-sectional study. Tanaffos 2012;11(2): 38–41. PMID: 25191413.
  22. Hnizdo E. Loss of lung function associated with exposure to silica dust and with smoking and its relation to disability and mortality in South African gold miners. Br J Ind Med 1992;49(7):472–479. DOI: 10.1136/oem.49.7.472.
  23. Rathod SB, Sorte SR. Effect of duration of exposure to silica dust on lung function impairment in stone crusher workers of Marathwada region. Int J Cur Res Rev 2013;5(4):121. https://www.ijcrr.com/uploads/1423_pdf.pdf.
  24. Ashrafi-Asgarabad A, Samareh-Fekri M, khanjani N, GhotbiRavandi M. Exposure to particles and respiratory symptoms in stone carvers of Kerman, Iran. J Occup Heal Epidemiol 2013;2(4):146–156. DOI: 10.18869/acadpub.johe.2.4.146.
  25. Sheikh JA, Khan ZA, Khan T, Chowdhary S. Pulmonary function among stone quarry workers in India: The effect of duration of exposure, smoking status and job profile on pulmonary function tests. J Heal Soc Sci 2018;3(2):137–146. DOI: 10.19204/2018/plmn4.
  26. Bahrami AR, Mahjub H. Comparative study of lung function in Iranian factory workers exposed to silica dust. East Mediterr Health J 2003;9(3):390–398. PMID: 15751932.
  27. Rajavel S, Raghav P, Gupta MK, Muralidhar V. Silico-tuberculosis, silicosis and other respiratory morbidities among sandstone mine workers in Rajasthan–a cross-sectional study. PLoS One 2020;15(4). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230574.
  28. Gholamie A, Saberi HR, Ghahri A, Eskandari D. Investigation of respiratory symptoms and spirometric parameters in fire brick workers. J Health Hygiene 2012;3(1):67–73. Available from: https://www.sid.ir/en/journal/ViewPaper.aspx?id=351724.
  29. Johncy SS, Ajay KT, Dhanyakumar G, Raj NP, Samuel TV. Dust exposure and lung function impairment in construction workers. J Physiol Biomed Sci 2011;24(1):9–13. https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2021.6145.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.