Chest
Volume 119, Issue 4, April 2001, Pages 1260-1265
Journal home page for Chest

Occupational and Environmental Lung Disease
Short-term Effects of Wood Smoke Exposure on the Respiratory System Among Charcoal Production Workers

https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.119.4.1260Get rights and content

Study objectives

We aimed to investigate the short-term respiratory effects of heavy, occupational wood smoke exposure among traditional charcoal production workers.

Patients and setting

A total of 22 charcoal workers (mean age, 41 years; 9 current smokers, 5 ex-smokers, and 8 nonsmokers) were studied and compared with a control group of 35 farmers residing in Perama, Rethymnon, Crete.

Results

The charcoal workers were exposed to wood smoke for an average of 14 h/d during a mean of 23.7 days required for the burning of kilns. The workers under study were found to have significantly more cough (odds ratio[ OR], 4.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 19.7), sputum production (OR, 6; 95% CI, 1.4 to 26.5), wheezing (OR, 7.7; 95% CI, 1.4 to 41.5), dyspnea (OR, 28.7; 95% CI, 5.4 to 153), and hemoptysis (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 0.7 to 55) than the control group. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum production, wheezing, and dyspnea in the charcoal workers was significantly elevated during the exposure period (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.1 to 17.7; OR, 5.7; 95% CI, 1 to 31; OR, 9.8; 95% CI, 1 to 88; and OR, 36.7; 95% CI, 1 to 327, respectively). The mean ± SD percent of predicted values of FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio, and forced expiratory flow at 25 to 75% of FVC during the exposure period were significantly lower than those before exposure: 106 ± 10.8 vs 101 ± 11.9, p < 0.01; 104 ± 16 vs 97 ± 15, p < 0.001; 81 ± 9 vs 78 ± 8, p < 0.001; and 95 ± 27 vs 80 ± 25, p < 0.01, respectively. The mean ± SD value of peak expiratory flow at midday and in the evening during the exposure were significantly lower than before: 524 ± 131 L/min vs 548 ± 108 L/min, p = 0.03; and 521 ± 135 L/min vs 547 ± 131 L/min, p = 0.02, respectively.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that wood smoke exposure in charcoal workers is associated with increased respiratory symptoms and decreased pulmonary function. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine potential long-term adverse respiratory effects.

Section snippets

Subject Selection

The survey was carried out in the villages around the area of the valley of Perama, Rethymnon, Crete. The study population was selected by local town hall officials, from among 32 active charcoal workers. A total of 22 male workers (9 current smokers, 5 ex-smokers, and 8 nonsmokers; mean ± SD age, 41.2 ± 16 years) agreed to participate in the study. Using the records from the local municipal rolls, 35 male residents of the studied area (14 current smokers, 9 ex-smokers, and 12 nonsmokers; mean

Exposure

A mean of 23.7 ± 4.6 days (range, 15.2 to 28.4 days) was required for the kilns to be burned. The burning period represents the actual exposure time. The charcoal workers under study were exposed to the wood smoke of burning kilns for a relatively long period of time every day (14.1 ± 6.4 h) starting at 7 am, as they were tending closely the pyrolyzing procedure of the burning kilns. No respiratory protective equipment was used by the workers at any time during the burning period of the kilns.

Symptoms

Discussion

Charcoal production is a traditional occupation in which the short-term respiratory effects have never been studied. This study shows that wood smoke exposure is associated with increased odds of self-reported respiratory symptoms, including cough, sputum production, wheezing, and dyspnea. Furthermore, short-term decrements in PFT measures were found to accompany the increased symptom prevalence during the exposure period.

The charcoal workers had an short-term postexposure decline in PFT

References (24)

  • JM Peters et al.

    Chronic effect of fire fighting on pulmonary function

    N Engl J Med

    (1974)
  • D Sparrow et al.

    The effect of occupational exposure on pulmonary function: a longitudinal evaluation of firefighters and nonfirefighters

    Am Rev Respir Dis

    (1982)
  • Cited by (35)

    • Assessment of air quality, health status and lung function of workers from selected poultry management systems in Ogun State, Nigeria

      2022, Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health
      Citation Excerpt :

      A significance difference (p < 0.05) observed in PEFR between poultry workers and the control group indicates an evident reduction in PEFR values among poultry workers. This also signifies increased respiratory symptoms, because of exposure to respiratory hazards in their work environment.28,67 The assessment of air quality around the poultry farms revealed higher levels of CO2, CH4, NH3 and PM2.5 than the permissible limits of the NESREA indicating unsafe environment.

    • Occupational Tasks Influencing Lung Function and Respiratory Symptoms Among Charcoal-Production Workers: A Time-Series Study

      2017, Safety and Health at Work
      Citation Excerpt :

      Wood smoke contains particulate matter and other toxic compounds such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides [6,7]. Humans exposed to wood smoke, whether in domestic setting or occupationally, have been reported to have decreased lung function, and increased risks for respiratory symptoms, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [7–13]. Thus, women who use wood as fuel for cooking have more cough, dyspnea, and asthma than those who use gas for cooking [14].

    • Exacerbations and lung function decline in COPD: New insights in current and ex-smokers

      2007, Respiratory Medicine
      Citation Excerpt :

      A patient directed diary card and hospital-outpatient clinic data were used to identify exacerbations. Diary card: The development of the diary card was based in previously used diary card16 following accepted principles.15 Accordingly, all patients were instructed to record, at the end of each day, any increase in major and minor symptoms with regard to the last 24 h. Patients recorded changes in their symptoms using a binary coded system.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text