Med Lav
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Comparative Study
[Exposure to silicon carbide fibers in the production of carborundum].
Recent reports have shown that not only silicon carbide dusts but also fibres are liberated into the working environment during the various phases of silicon carbide production (using Acheson furnaces), thus creating a further potential health hazard. An environmental hygiene survey was conducted in a silicon carbide production plant with the aim of quantifying airborne dusts and fibres. Although dust levels were below 50% of the TLV, high concentrations of fibres were observed (analyzed via optical microscopy using the criteria for asbestos fibres), which in some locations reached levels of 2000 fibres/litre with means (GM) between 100 and 780 fibres/litre according to department. These results are assessed in the light of the growing interest of researchers in the experimental effects of silicon carbide fibres.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
[Occupation and lung cancer risk in the province of Trieste: a case-control study].
To investigate the relationship between occupation and lung cancer, a case-control study was performed in the province of Trieste, Italy, where metallurgical and mechanical industries, dock activities and shipbuilding and ship repairing are predominant. Through the local Cancer Registry, pathology records of 938 men who died of primary lung cancer (ICD 162) in a five-year period were examined. Residential, smoking and occupational histories were obtained from interviews of next of kin of 756 cases and 756 age-matched male controls (+/- 2 years). ⋯ The ARp fraction for occupations with well-established exposures to lung carcinogens (list A) was 16.2%. The ARp fraction increased to 25.5% (85% CI = 1.4-34.6) when occupations with suspected exposure to lung carcinogens (list B) were included. The ARp fraction for possible or definite exposure to asbestos was 20.1% (95% CI = 11.6-28.6).