Respiratory health of dust-exposed Congolese coltan miners.

Autor: Leon-Kabamba N; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kamina, Kamina, Democratic Republic of Congo.; Research Unit, ISTM-Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo., Ngatu NR; School of Health Sciences and Nursing, University of Kochi, Kochi, Japan. doc.rogerngatu@gmail.com.; Graduate School of Medicine and Graduate School of Public Health, International University of Health and Welfare (IUHW), Narita 286-8686, Japan. doc.rogerngatu@gmail.com., Kakoma SJ; School of Public Health, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo., Nyembo C; Research Unit, ISTM-Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo., Mbelambela EP; Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi University Medical School, Nankoku, Japan., Moribe RJ; Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi University Medical School, Nankoku, Japan., Wembonyama S; School of Public Health, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo., Danuser B; Service of Occupational Medicine, Institute for Work and Health, University of Lausanne and Geneva, Epalinges-Lausanne, Switzerland., Oscar-Luboya N; Research Unit, ISTM-Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo.; School of Public Health, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: International archives of occupational and environmental health [Int Arch Occup Environ Health] 2018 Oct; Vol. 91 (7), pp. 859-864. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Jun 27.
DOI: 10.1007/s00420-018-1329-0
Abstrakt: Purpose: In Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), informal coltan mining has been expanding amidst increased insecurity due to armed conflicts. We investigated the impact of occupational dust-exposure on the respiratory health of Congolese coltan miners.
Methods: In total, 441 Congolese workers participated in this study, including 199 informal coltan miners and 242 office workers (controls). Information on respiratory complaints was collected using two standardized questionnaires. Physical examination (vital signs, auscultation) and lung function test (Peak Flow meter) were performed. In addition, workplace airborne PM2.5 and volatile organic compounds (VOC) concentrations were measured.
Results: Higher airborne PM2.5 (range 180-210 µg/m 3 ) and VOC (range 1.4-2.3 µg/m 3 ) levels were detected at coltan mining work stations as compared with control sites (19-44 and 0.5-0.8 µg/m 3 , respectively). All respiratory complaints and disorders were more prevalent in informal coltan miners than in controls. Additionally, a markedly lower mean PEFR was observed in coltan miners than in controls (347.93 ± 6.88 vs. 493.23 ± 67.38 L/min, respectively). Moreover, positive associations between informal coltan mining and almost all respiratory complaints were observed, except wheezing at effort and night cough. On the other hand, an inverse association was observed between lung function (PEFR) and PM2.5 exposure, between PEFR and VOC exposure, and also between PEFR and current smoking.
Conclusions: This study showed high prevalence of respiratory complaints in Congolese informal coltan miners, suggesting the necessity to implement efficient occupational safety measures and regulate this informal mining business.
Databáze: MEDLINE
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