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PubMed1987

Decreased risk of lung cancer in the cotton textile industry of Shanghai.

The relationship between lung cancer risk and work in the cotton textile industry was investigated in a large population-based case-control study in urban Shanghai, where the industry is a major employer of men and women. Personal interviews obtained occupational, smoking, and other information from 1405 newly diagnosed lung cancer cases and 1495 controls. A significantly low risk of lung cancer was associated with cotton textile employment [odds ratio (OR) = 0.7,95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.6-0.9]. In men, the decreased risk was observed among both smokers (OR = 0.7, 95% CI = 0.5-1.1) and nonsmokers (OR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.1-1.0). In women, the risk was also decreased regardless of smoking status (OR = 0.8, 95% CI = 0.4-1.6 among smokers; OR = 0.9, 95% CI = 0.6-1.2 among nonsmokers). In both sexes, the reductions in risk tended to be greater for lung cancer cell types other than adenocarcinoma. Low risks were found regardless of occupations within the cotton textile industry; the OR for workers in textile processing who potentially had greater dust exposure was 0.8 (95% CI = 0.6-1.2), whereas the OR for those in other industry jobs was 0.7 (95% CI = 0.4-1.0). There was little difference in risk according to self-reported exposure to textile dust, and no clear trend with duration of employment or dust exposure. Reasons for the reduced risk of lung cancer in cotton textile workers without a dose response are unclear, although several methodological explanations were considered. The findings, however, appear consistent with prior epidemiological studies and are interesting in light of speculation about tumor-inhibitory factors, such as bacterial endotoxins, that are found in dusts from cotton and other fiber crops.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Paget's disease of bone in Lancashire and arsenic pesticide in cotton mill wastewater: a speculative hypothesis.

A 1974 survey of Paget's disease of bone in 31 UK towns identified a cluster of six Lancashire former cotton mill towns with the highest prevalence rates of the disease and noted a link with the cotton industry. The two highest-prevalence towns are situated on estuaries and are jointly the smallest of the six by the size of their former cotton industry. The two lowest-prevalence towns of the six are highest above sea level and jointly the largest by the size of their former cotton industry. This pattern suggests a waterborne agent. A 1993 repeat survey of 10 of the 31 towns identified a general decline in prevalence, greatest in the three cotton towns included from the six in the earlier survey, further suggesting a link to the cotton industry. Cotton mills and bleach/dyeworks produced a large volume of wastewater that was commonly discharged into adjacent waterways. Wastewater contained process chemicals and imported organisms and pesticides carried in cotton bales. The process chemicals and imported organisms could be discounted as a probable factor in Paget's disease; however, pesticides could not be discounted. Lancashire cotton came predominantly from the American cotton belt. From 1917 to 1945, calcium arsenate pesticide was used intensively to combat the boll weevil and was imported to Lancashire in cotton bales. The calcium arsenate era is consistent with the high-prevalence findings in 1974 and the decline in 1993, allowing for time lags. Geochemical arsenate is widespread in the environment and may account for geographic variations in Paget's prevalence, although data are inadequate for correlation studies. Noncytotoxic doses of arsenic affect all the steroid receptors and some signal transduction pathways, which may lead to dysfunctional osteoclast signaling and differentiation. Human cells are more susceptible than animal cells to arsenic, based on studies of nonbone cells. It is speculative that arsenic may be a factor in the abnormal variation in prevalence rates in Lancashire. It is not a general theory of Paget's disease.

Arsenic↗
PubMed1985

Medical and industrial hygiene characterization of the cotton waste utilization industry.

We studied 260 workers in the cotton waste utilization industry and 310 "blue-collar" control workers from nondusty industries in the same geographic area of the United States by respiratory symptom questionnaire and by pre- and postshift spirometry. We excluded 75 cotton workers and 75 control workers from statistical analysis because of prior hazardous occupational exposures. Plant-wide, 8-hour time-weighted average exposures ranged from 0.28 mg/m3 to 7.80 mg/m3. The overall prevalence of symptoms compatible with byssinosis was 5.9% in cotton workers and 4.7% in the controls. Cotton workers with less than 2 years of employment had a significantly greater prevalence of bronchitis than their control counterparts. The cotton workers with 2 years or more of employment had significantly greater prevalences of bronchitis, shift decrement in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of greater than or equal to 10%, and FEV1/FEV1-predicted less than 80%, than their control counterparts. Regression analysis showed that for matched cotton and control workers, the percentage decrement in FEV1 over the shift was significantly greater for cotton workers; and that in all cotton workers, longevity in industry had a negative effect on the before-shift forced vital capacity (FVC). This study suggests that there are both acute and chronic effects of cotton exposure in the cotton waste utilization industry.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

History and results of the two inter-laboratory round robin endotoxin assay studies on cotton dust.

BACKGROUND: In the US cotton industry, airborne cotton dust levels are regulated, and other countries are moving to specify safety limits for airborne endotoxins. There is concern about potential respiratory health hazards associated with agricultural and other organic dusts. In laboratories, ranking which samples have high and low levels of endotoxin is usually in good agreement between laboratories. When different laboratories assay identical samples, the levels differ. The objective of this research was to evaluate the intra- and inter-laboratory variability for 13 laboratories measuring endotoxin in cotton dust. METHOD: Two inter-laboratory round robin endotoxin assay studies were conducted using cotton dust. In the first round robin, each laboratory used their normal in-house assay method and then used a common extraction protocol. In the second round robin, a common extraction protocol and endotoxin assay kit was used. RESULTS: The intra-laboratory results had small variations but inter-laboratory results had very high variations. The inter-laboratory results using a common extraction protocol showed reduced differences. Using the same extraction protocol and endotoxin assay kit, the intra-laboratory variation was small and inter-laboratory variation was reduced but not enough for inter-laboratory agreement. Most of the laboratories were able to discern between the high and low endotoxin concentration dusts. CONCLUSIONS: Standardization has reduced the differences in results between laboratories and possibly further standardization may bring closer inter-laboratory agreement.

Air Microbiology↗
PubMed2004

Endotoxin exposure and respiratory symptoms in the cotton textile industry.

One hundred fourteen male employees of a cotton spinning mill in western Germany participated in a cross-sectional study, the purpose of which was to clarify the dose effect of endotoxin exposure on respiratory symptoms. Airborne endotoxin exposures were classified as low (< or = 100 endotoxin units [EU]/m3), medium (> 100-450 EU/m3), or high (> 450 EU/m3), on the basis of endotoxin activity in the Limulus amoebocyte lysate assay. Age- and smoking-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. The dose-response relationship between current endotoxin exposure and prevalence of wheezing (medium: OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 0.48-9.62; high: OR = 5.49, 95% CI = 1.17- 25.81) and cough (medium: OR = 2.11; 95% CI = 0.59-7.56; high: OR = 3.93; 95% CI = 1.02-15.12) was significant (test for linear trend: p values = 0.020 and 0.040, respectively). The association between exposure and wheezing was stronger among atopic workers. The higher prevalence of chest tightness and shortness of breath among workers with medium and high current endotoxin exposure did not reach statistical significance. The results suggested that there was a dose-dependent increase in bronchial symptoms, with significant effects occurring at exposures that exceeded 450 EU/m3.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Plant trash in linters and willowed picker: materials used in the cotton garnetting industry.

First cut linters and willowed picker, used in cotton garnetting, were examined for content of cotton bract an other plant trash. Bract was found to be a minimal contaminant of the trash of first cut linters. A significant amount of bract (about 9% of the trash) was present in willowed picker. Cotton seed hulls, a valuable oil mill by product, contained an insignificant amount of bract trash.

Byssinosis↗
PubMed1984

An environmental and medical study of byssinosis and other respiratory conditions in the cotton textile industry in Egypt.

This study was conducted in a typical Egyptian textile plant located in Alexandria. Male workers from all operations (N = 506) were examined and their dust exposures were assessed. Results showed that airborne dust concentrations were very high and that the plant fraction is mostly concentrated in respirable dust. Byssinosis prevailed in 21% of workers in opening and cleaning sections and in 13% in carding and combing rooms, but was found in none of the workers in drawing, twisting, and spinning operations, in only 1.1% in weaving, and in 3.1% of workers in other "auxiliary" occupations. The rare prevalence of byssinosis among the latter workers' groups was attributed to the workers' continuous exposure without fixed weekend interruption, the personal and family history of exposure to cotton, the low proportion of plant materials in dust evolved in related operations, the fine quality of Egyptian cotton, and/or the population characteristics of Egyptian workers. Reduction in FEV 1.0 at the end of the first work shift after absence from work occured more often than byssinosis, which indicates the importance of this test for the early detection of effects of cotton dust exposure. It is suggested that a nationwide study in the cotton textile industry is indicated.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Effect of dust exposure in the cotton felt industry.

Respiratory histories and preshift and postshift spirometry were recorded for 90 cotton felt workers and 54 brick workers. Environmental monitoring included area sampling by vertical elutriator and cyclone and personal sampling for respirable dust by cyclone. The prevalence of mill fever and byssinosis was 31% and 5%, respectively, in the cotton workers. Significant dose-response effects were detected for both elutriator and cyclone dust measurements and change in forced expiratory volume at 1 s over the shift. A dose-response relationship was also found for the brick workers.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Respiratory effects of cotton dust exposure in the cotton garnetting industry.

We measured exposures to total dust, vertically elutriated dust, and endotoxin and studied acute pulmonary responses among 128 workers in the cotton garnetting and mattress assembly industries. Previous studies in this segment of industry have not characterized endotoxin exposures or related them to pulmonary responses. The median 8-hour time-weighted average total dust was 0.72 mg/m3, the median vertically elutriated dust was 0.22 mg/m3, and the median endotoxin concentration was 5.2 ng/m3. Ten percent of the subjects reported chest tightness or dyspnea on Mondays. Thirteen percent of the subjects reported symptoms of chronic bronchitis. Although there was no relationship between changes in pulmonary function across the workshift and either total dust, vertically elutriated dust, or endotoxin exposure, 13% of the subjects had greater than 5% decrements in FEV1 over the workshift.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Byssinosis in the cotton waste industry.

A cross-sectional survey was carried out on 772 workers in 27 mills in the North of England involved in the processing of cotton waste. The overall prevalence of byssinosis as defined by Schilling's criteria was 9.8 per cent with 5.4 per cent having grades 2 and 3. The prevalence in workers who had only ever had cotton waste exposure (5 per cent) was significantly less than for those who had mixed waste and raw cotton exposure. There was no clear relationship between prevalence of byssinosis and years of exposure or dust levels.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Color removal from cotton textile industry wastewater in an activated sludge system with various additives.

The low biodegradability of many dyes and textile chemicals indicates that biological treatment is not always successful in the treatment of cotton textile wastewater, in terms of color removal. In this study, a specific organic flocculant (Marwichem DEC), powdered activated carbon (PAC), bentonite, activated clay and commercial synthetic inorganic clay (Macrosorb) were directly added into the activated sludge laboratory pilot plant model. Before dosage, the optimum sludge retention time and hydraulic retention time were determined as 30 days and 1.6 days, respectively. The Monod kinetic constants were determined as Y = 0.76 kg MLSS/kg COD, Kd = 0.026 l/day, K(S) = 113.3 mg/L, k = 0.42 l/day and mu(max) = 0.32 kg MLSS/kg COD day. Under these conditions the average COD removal was 94% and color removal was 36%. The addition of these materials did not change COD removal significantly. The most effective materials were found to be DEC and PAC for color removal. While the color removal efficiency for 120 mg/L DEC addition was 78%, it was 65% for 100 mg/L, 77% for 200 mg/L and 86% for 400 mg/L PAC addition. The advantage of DEC compared to PAC was the lower sludge production. Statistical analyses using multiple linear regression indicate that there is no relationship between the effluent color with the influent color and total suspended solids (TSS) for DEC and PAC addition. On the other hand, when only bentonite, activated clay and Macrosorb were added, the effluent color was primarily dependent on the influent color and the TSS concentration had little effect. When the data is examined by using Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests and it was found that there was a significant difference between the color data groups.

Adsorption↗
PubMed1994

Women's respiratory health in the cotton textile industry: an analysis of respiratory symptoms in 973 non-smoking female workers.

As part of a 1992 survey of both environmental and occupational determinants of health, 973 non-smoking women aged 20-40 years who were employed in three comparable modern Chinese cotton textile mills were given a questionnaire that included questions on standard respiratory history and symptoms. All women had some potential exposure to cotton dust; mean employment was 8.7 years. Comparisons were made between those with lowest or no current exposure (job classification in administration, quality control, and testing, n = 112) and those in the more heavily exposed classifications (yarn production areas, n = 861). Association of symptoms with job was tested by logistic regression, adjusting for age, passive smoking at home, and the use of home coal burning stoves. Odds ratios for prevalence of current frequent symptoms in those working in production jobs, after adjustment for home exposure to passive tobacco smoke and coal heating, were frequent cough 2.23 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.05-4.75), frequent phlegm 3.24 (1.54-6.84), shortness of breath 4.54 (1.40-14.72), and wheeze 2.96 (1.16-7.55). Nine cases with grade I byssinosis (chest tightness or shortness of breath on return to work after two days off) were found; all were in production jobs. In these non-smoking women textile workers, chronic respiratory symptoms were associated with job category after correction for domestic indoor air quality. These data support evidence for an increased prevalence of respiratory disease in populations exposed to cotton dust.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Compensation for byssinosis in Great Britain.

Byssinosis first became compensatable in Great Britain in May 1941. The claimants were examined by a specially constituted board consisting of chest physicians and medical specialists from the Manchester area. Following the Industrial Injuries Act of 1946, which became operative in July 1948, the examinations were taken over by the Manchester Pneumoconiosis Medical Panel. At first only men who had worked for at least 20 years up to and including cotton carding processes could claim. They had to be permanently and totally incapacitated by the disease. Women workers were included from July 1948, and the disablement required was reduced from total to 50 percent in December 1948. As experience with the diagnosis was gained, the law was changed to cover any degree of disablement in 1956, and in 1974 those with byssinosis grade II was accepted. In 1956 ten years replaced the 20-year qualifying period in the cotton industry, reduced to five years in 1974 and to any period in 1979. In 1951 insurance against the disease was extended to workers in the waste cotton industry and in 1965 to workers in the flax industry. In 1974 the scheduled area in the mill was extended from the carding process up to and including beaming and winding.

Byssinosis↗