A Health Surveillance Study of Workers Employed at a Copper Smelter—Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Copper on Lung Function Using Spirometric Data. Issue 8 (1st August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Haase, Lisa-Marie; Birk, Thomas; Bachand, Annette M.; Mundt, Kenneth A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 63:Issue 8(2021)
• Page Start: e480
• Page End: e489
• Publication Date: 2021-08-01
• Subjects: copper -- FEV1 decline -- health surveillance study -- inhalable copper dust -- occupational exposures -- respirable copper dust -- spirometry; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002252
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Abstract : Objective: Significantly lower permissible occupational exposure limits for copper dust are being discussed in Europe and other jurisdictions. However, little data are published on exposures in occupational settings and copper-specific effects in humans. Hence, a health surveillance study was performed among workers employed at a copper smelter between 1972 and 2018. Methods: Possible effects of long-term exposures to dust containing copper on lung function were assessed. Specifically, declines in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1 ) were compared between a copper-exposed and control group. Cumulative copper exposures were derived from historical airborne monitoring data. Results: FEV1 declines among exposed and control never smokers were similar to a typical age-dependent decline of 29 mL/y. Conclusion: The study findings indicate that cumulative inhalable copper dust exposure averaging 4.61 mg/m 3 -years over an exposure duration of ∼22 years is not associated with adverse effects on lung function.