OBJECTIVE: Between 1995 and 2003 a longitudinal study on miners in two German potash mines was planned and performed by BAuA in collaboration with K+S and IGF. Aim was to correlate exposure data to the results of medical examination of the miners in the respective mines' workforce and to use the detailed exposure investigation as a tool for risk assessment by the company. In this time period a discussion about health effects and the corresponding necessity to lower the existing threshold limits for the components NO and NO(2) was started as well. Whereas the epidemiological aspects of this study are reported elsewhere (Lotz et al., in Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 2006), we discuss the exposure situation in detail in this paper. METHODS: In two potash mines in Germany the shift and short time exposure for the components respirable dust, inhalable dust, diesel particulate matter, nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon dioxide was investigated in four separate campaigns. The results are reported and discussed. RESULTS: The miners especially in the production areas of the mines are exposed to a highly correlated mixture of the components though the exposure situation can be regarded as state of the art and representative for the industry. CONCLUSION: All dose-response discussions must take into account that never only one of the components can be made responsible for an eventually occurring respiratory effect. For reasons of availability of proper measurement equipment limitations for a possible lowering of indicative limit values of the EU are to be observed.
OBJECTIVE: Between 1995 and 2003 a longitudinal study on miners in two German potash mines was planned and performed by BAuA in collaboration with K+S and IGF. Aim was to correlate exposure data to the results of medical examination of the miners in the respective mines' workforce and to use the detailed exposure investigation as a tool for risk assessment by the company. In this time period a discussion about health effects and the corresponding necessity to lower the existing threshold limits for the components NO and NO(2) was started as well. Whereas the epidemiological aspects of this study are reported elsewhere (Lotz et al., in Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 2006), we discuss the exposure situation in detail in this paper. METHODS: In two potash mines in Germany the shift and short time exposure for the components respirable dust, inhalable dust, diesel particulate matter, nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon dioxide was investigated in four separate campaigns. The results are reported and discussed. RESULTS: The miners especially in the production areas of the mines are exposed to a highly correlated mixture of the components though the exposure situation can be regarded as state of the art and representative for the industry. CONCLUSION: All dose-response discussions must take into account that never only one of the components can be made responsible for an eventually occurring respiratory effect. For reasons of availability of proper measurement equipment limitations for a possible lowering of indicative limit values of the EU are to be observed.
Authors: R Hebisch; D Dabill; D Dahmann; F Diebold; N Geiregat; R Grosjean; M Mattenklott; V Perret; M Guillemin Journal: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Date: 2002-10-03 Impact factor: 3.015
Authors: Roel Vermeulen; Joseph B Coble; Jay H Lubin; Lützen Portengen; Aaron Blair; Michael D Attfield; Debra T Silverman; Patricia A Stewart Journal: Ann Occup Hyg Date: 2010-09-27
Authors: P Morfeld; B Noll; S F Büchte; R Derwall; V Schenk; H J Bicker; H Lenaerts; N Schrader; D Dahmann Journal: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Date: 2010-04 Impact factor: 3.015
Authors: Dirk Dahmann; Peter Morfeld; Christian Monz; Birgit Noll; Frank Gast Journal: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Date: 2009-04-08 Impact factor: 3.015
Authors: Christian Monsé; Horst Christoph Broding; Kirsten Sucker; Hans Berresheim; Birger Jettkant; Frank Hoffmeyer; Rolf Merget; Thomas Brüning; Jürgen Bünger Journal: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Date: 2013-04-23 Impact factor: 3.015