Inhalable and Respirable Particulate and Endotoxin Exposures in Kentucky Equine Farms.
Abstract: Adverse respiratory health effects in the agricultural industry have been linked to particulate endotoxin exposure. However, whether the endotoxin concentration is significantly correlated to the size of the particle remains an open question. To date, limited research has been conducted to assess particulate endotoxin exposures in the agricultural industry in general or the equine industry in particular. A task-based exposure assessment was conducted to characterize the endotoxin levels of inhalable and respirable particles on four Kentucky farms during the summer season. We conducted personal sampling of respirable and inhalable particles (n = 75) across all four farms and particulate endotoxin (n = 58) on two of them. Simultaneously, we collected real-time area samples across all four farms by task - , and . The endotoxin concentration of inhalable particles (geometric mean: 50.2-1,024 EU/m) was ~50 times higher than that of respirable particles (geometric mean: 1.72-19.0 EU/m). generated the lowest endotoxin concentrations for both particle sizes, while tended to produce higher concentrations. There was no significant correlation between the endotoxin and particle concentrations for each size fraction based on tasks by farm (R = 0.069 for inhalable; 0.214 for respirable). The equine workers in this study were exposed to higher endotoxin concentrations than workers in other industries, such as the swine industry. Providing exposure control guidelines and recommendations to the equine industry is necessary to reduce long-term endotoxin exposure and to prevent adverse respiratory symptoms.
Publication Date: 2019-08-20 PubMed ID: 31430228PubMed Central: PMC7031016DOI: 10.1080/1059924X.2019.1656128Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- N.I.H.
- Extramural
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
Summary
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The research article examines how endotoxin levels are present in inhalable and respirable particles across four horse farms in Kentucky. The study provides a detailed analysis of endotoxin concentration in different particle sizes and highlights the lack of correlation between endotoxin and particle concentrations, pushing for guidelines to prevent respiratory issues from long-term exposure.
Study Approach
- The research focused on assessing exposure to endotoxin, a component of the outer membrane of bacteria, which when inhaled, can cause adverse respiratory health effects. The presence of endotoxin in different sizes of particulates (either inhalable or respirable) was explored.
- A task-based exposure assessment was conducted on four Kentucky farms during summer. Personal sampling of inhalable and respirable particles was conducted across all four farms (75 samples), with particulate endotoxin analysed on two of the farms (58 samples).
Findings
- The researchers found that the concentration of endotoxin in inhalable particles was approximately 50 times higher than in respirable particles. This suggests that larger particles may carry more endotoxins, possibly making them more harmful when inhaled.
- Despite the observed differences in endotoxin concentration based on particle size, the study found no significant correlation between the amount of endotoxin and the concentration of particles for each size group.
- The study identified that equine workers appeared to be exposed to higher endotoxin concentrations than workers in other industries, such as swine farming.
Conclusions and Recommendations
- The findings of the study underscore the potential risk equine industry workers are exposed to concerning endotoxin inhalation. It emphasizes the need for guidelines to control exposure in this industry.
- The researchers recommend developing measures to reduce long-term endotoxin exposure to prevent potential respiratory health issues, given the higher endotoxin concentrations observed amongst equine workers compared to other industries.
Cite This Article
APA
Hwang J, Golla V, Metwali N, Thorne PS.
(2019).
Inhalable and Respirable Particulate and Endotoxin Exposures in Kentucky Equine Farms.
J Agromedicine, 25(2), 179-189.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2019.1656128 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Hudson College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
- Department of Public Health, College of Health and Human Services, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, USA.
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Agricultural Workers' Diseases / etiology
- Air Pollutants, Occupational / adverse effects
- Air Pollutants, Occupational / analysis
- Animals
- Endotoxins / adverse effects
- Endotoxins / analysis
- Farmers / statistics & numerical data
- Horses
- Humans
- Inhalation Exposure / adverse effects
- Inhalation Exposure / analysis
- Kentucky
- Occupational Exposure / adverse effects
- Occupational Exposure / analysis
- Particle Size
- Particulate Matter / adverse effects
- Particulate Matter / analysis
Grant Funding
- P30 ES005605 / NIEHS NIH HHS
- U54 OH007547 / NIOSH CDC HHS
- U54OH007547 / ACL HHS
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