Respiratory symptoms and illnesses related to the concentration of airborne particulate matter among brick kiln workers in Kathmandu valley, Nepal
Abstract Background Bricks have been manufactured in Nepal for hundreds of years and are seen as a component of Nepalese sculpture and architecture. Large quantities of hazardous materials including high concentrations of particulate matter are emitted on a daily basis from brick kilns. Exposure to...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Korean Society of Occupational & Environmental Medicine
2017-03-01
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| Series: | Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40557-017-0165-0 |
| _version_ | 1811180658231345152 |
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| author | Seshananda Sanjel Sanjay N. Khanal Steven M. Thygerson William S. Carter James D. Johnston Sunil K. Joshi |
| author_facet | Seshananda Sanjel Sanjay N. Khanal Steven M. Thygerson William S. Carter James D. Johnston Sunil K. Joshi |
| author_sort | Seshananda Sanjel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Bricks have been manufactured in Nepal for hundreds of years and are seen as a component of Nepalese sculpture and architecture. Large quantities of hazardous materials including high concentrations of particulate matter are emitted on a daily basis from brick kilns. Exposure to these hazardous materials can lead to adverse consequences on the environment and human health. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of respiratory symptoms/illnesses and the magnitude of respirable and total dust exposures among Nepalese brick kiln workers. Methods Respiratory symptoms/illnesses were evaluated by questionnaire among brickfield workers (n = 400) and a referent group of grocery workers (n = 400) in Kathmandu valley. Work zones (WZs): green brick molding (GBM), green brick stacking/carrying (GBS/C), red brick loading/carrying (RBL/C), coal preparation (CP) and firemen (FM) were the similar exposure groups (SEGs) from where personal air samples and interviews were taken. Among brickfield workers, personal monitoring was conducted across SEGs for total (n = 89) and respirable (n = 72) dust during February–March 2015 and March–April 2016. Applying multi-stage probability proportionate to size sampling technique, 16 kilns and 400 brick workers for interview were selected. Proportions, means, medians and ranges were calculated for the demographics, samples and respiratory symptoms/illnesses. One-way ANOVA was applied to compare the significance differences of the level of particulate matter among SEGs. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate association between respiratory symptoms/illnesses and participants groups, and SEGs among brick kiln workers at 0.05 level. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 21. Results Chronic cough (14.3%), phlegm (16.6%) and bronchitis (19.0%) were higher (P < 0.05) among brickfield compared with grocery workers (6.8, 5.8 and 10.8%). Mean respirable (5.888 mg/m3) and total (20.657 mg/m3) dust exposures were highest for red brick loading tasks. The prevalence of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, chronic bronchitis, wheezing and asthma were significantly higher for other WZs workers (p < 0.05) compared with CP; for GBM: 22.9, 34.6, 15.0 and 7.5%; for GBS/C: 13.5, 15.8, 10.0, 8.8 and 7.5%; for RBL/C: 11.1, 17.1, 27.4, 19.0 and 11.9%; for FM: 18.4, 12.5, 28.4, 4.9 and 0.0%; and for CP: 4.9, 6.3, 13.3, 9.3 and 4.0% respectively. Conclusion High dust exposures identified in this study may explain the increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms/illnesses among Nepalese brickfield workers, warranting action to reduce exposures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:05:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-20d7e3a63f4f422fb3655b8ce0020b29 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2052-4374 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:05:49Z |
| publishDate | 2017-03-01 |
| publisher | Korean Society of Occupational & Environmental Medicine |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-20d7e3a63f4f422fb3655b8ce0020b292022-12-22T04:32:37ZengKorean Society of Occupational & Environmental MedicineAnnals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine2052-43742017-03-0129111210.1186/s40557-017-0165-0Respiratory symptoms and illnesses related to the concentration of airborne particulate matter among brick kiln workers in Kathmandu valley, NepalSeshananda Sanjel0Sanjay N. Khanal1Steven M. Thygerson2William S. Carter3James D. Johnston4Sunil K. Joshi5Department of Community Medicine, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel HospitalEnvironment Science, Department of Environment Science and Engineering, School of Science, Kathmandu UniversityEnvironmental and Occupational Health, Department of Health Science, Brigham Young UniversityEnvironmental Management, University of FindlayEnvironmental and Occupational Health, Department of Health Science, Brigham Young UniversityDepartment of Community Medicine, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu UniversityAbstract Background Bricks have been manufactured in Nepal for hundreds of years and are seen as a component of Nepalese sculpture and architecture. Large quantities of hazardous materials including high concentrations of particulate matter are emitted on a daily basis from brick kilns. Exposure to these hazardous materials can lead to adverse consequences on the environment and human health. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of respiratory symptoms/illnesses and the magnitude of respirable and total dust exposures among Nepalese brick kiln workers. Methods Respiratory symptoms/illnesses were evaluated by questionnaire among brickfield workers (n = 400) and a referent group of grocery workers (n = 400) in Kathmandu valley. Work zones (WZs): green brick molding (GBM), green brick stacking/carrying (GBS/C), red brick loading/carrying (RBL/C), coal preparation (CP) and firemen (FM) were the similar exposure groups (SEGs) from where personal air samples and interviews were taken. Among brickfield workers, personal monitoring was conducted across SEGs for total (n = 89) and respirable (n = 72) dust during February–March 2015 and March–April 2016. Applying multi-stage probability proportionate to size sampling technique, 16 kilns and 400 brick workers for interview were selected. Proportions, means, medians and ranges were calculated for the demographics, samples and respiratory symptoms/illnesses. One-way ANOVA was applied to compare the significance differences of the level of particulate matter among SEGs. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate association between respiratory symptoms/illnesses and participants groups, and SEGs among brick kiln workers at 0.05 level. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 21. Results Chronic cough (14.3%), phlegm (16.6%) and bronchitis (19.0%) were higher (P < 0.05) among brickfield compared with grocery workers (6.8, 5.8 and 10.8%). Mean respirable (5.888 mg/m3) and total (20.657 mg/m3) dust exposures were highest for red brick loading tasks. The prevalence of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, chronic bronchitis, wheezing and asthma were significantly higher for other WZs workers (p < 0.05) compared with CP; for GBM: 22.9, 34.6, 15.0 and 7.5%; for GBS/C: 13.5, 15.8, 10.0, 8.8 and 7.5%; for RBL/C: 11.1, 17.1, 27.4, 19.0 and 11.9%; for FM: 18.4, 12.5, 28.4, 4.9 and 0.0%; and for CP: 4.9, 6.3, 13.3, 9.3 and 4.0% respectively. Conclusion High dust exposures identified in this study may explain the increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms/illnesses among Nepalese brickfield workers, warranting action to reduce exposures.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40557-017-0165-0Suspended particulate matterSimilar exposure groupBrick kilnRespiratory symptoms/illnessesNepal |
| spellingShingle | Seshananda Sanjel Sanjay N. Khanal Steven M. Thygerson William S. Carter James D. Johnston Sunil K. Joshi Respiratory symptoms and illnesses related to the concentration of airborne particulate matter among brick kiln workers in Kathmandu valley, Nepal Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Suspended particulate matter Similar exposure group Brick kiln Respiratory symptoms/illnesses Nepal |
| title | Respiratory symptoms and illnesses related to the concentration of airborne particulate matter among brick kiln workers in Kathmandu valley, Nepal |
| title_full | Respiratory symptoms and illnesses related to the concentration of airborne particulate matter among brick kiln workers in Kathmandu valley, Nepal |
| title_fullStr | Respiratory symptoms and illnesses related to the concentration of airborne particulate matter among brick kiln workers in Kathmandu valley, Nepal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Respiratory symptoms and illnesses related to the concentration of airborne particulate matter among brick kiln workers in Kathmandu valley, Nepal |
| title_short | Respiratory symptoms and illnesses related to the concentration of airborne particulate matter among brick kiln workers in Kathmandu valley, Nepal |
| title_sort | respiratory symptoms and illnesses related to the concentration of airborne particulate matter among brick kiln workers in kathmandu valley nepal |
| topic | Suspended particulate matter Similar exposure group Brick kiln Respiratory symptoms/illnesses Nepal |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40557-017-0165-0 |
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