Airway inflammation in iron ore miners exposed to dust and diesel exhaust

¹ Dept of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Umeå University, Umeå Sweden
² Dept of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Occupational and Enviromental Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
³ National Institute for Working Life, Umeå, Sweden

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ellinor.adelroth{at}lung.umu.se.

	Abstract

To investigate if underground miners exposed to dust and diesel exhaust in an iron ore mine would show signs of airway inflammation as reflected in induced sputum.

Twenty-two miners were studied twice, after a holiday of at least two weeks and after three months of regular work. Twenty-one "white-collar" workers acted as controls. All subjects completed a questionnaire regarding medical and occupational history, and underwent lung function testing and induced sputum collection. Total and differential cell counts and analyses of the fluid phase of the induced sputum were performed. Sampling of personal exposure to elemental carbon, nitrogen dioxide, and inhalable dust were recorded.

The average concentration of inhalable dust was 3.2 mg·m^-3, nitrogen dioxide 0.28 mg·m^-3 and elementary carbon 27 µg·m^-3. Miners had increased numbers of inflammatory cells, mainly alveolar macrophages and neutrophils, and increased concentrations of fibronectin, metalloproteinase-9 and IL-10 in induced sputum compared with controls.

Miners in an underground iron ore mine demonstrate persistent airway inflammation, that is as pronounced after a four week holiday period, as after a three months work period underground in the mine.

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