Endotoxins in baled cottons and airborne dusts in textile mills in the People's Republic of China

Abstract

Bulk cotton samples and airborne vertical elutriated cotton dusts were obtained from textile mills in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Analyses of endotoxin contents revealed that baled cottons which were grown in different countries varied in endotoxin contamination. The two textile mills, which operated at similar overall airborne dust levels, differed markedly in the levels of airborne endotoxins. The data suggest that the biological activity or "toxicity" of airborne cotton dusts may not be correlated directly with gravimetric dust levels.

Cotton dust and endotoxin exposure and long‐term decline in lung function: Results of a longitudinal study

“…However, longitudinal data on lung function changes in workers exposed to cotton dust and endotoxin are lacking. Since the biologic potency of cotton dust varies considerably, and a major contributor to potency appears to be Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin [Rylander et al, 1985;Castellan et al, 1987;Olenchock et al, 1985], it is uncertain whether the OSHA PEL, based on dust alone, will adequately protect cotton textile workers from chronic obstructive lung disease.…”

Endotoxins isolated from the air of a Danish paper mill and the relation to change in lung function: An 11‐year follow‐up

“…It has been shown that exposure to medium/low concentrations of LPS cause an increased loss of lung function, in farming and in the cotton industry with higher exposures [Olenchock et al, 1983;Beck et al, 1984b;Christiani et al, 1994Christiani et al, , 1999Post et al, 1998a;Wang et al, 2003]. The present study in which we do not find an increased yearly decline in lung function among the highest exposed PW with an LPS exposure exceeding 200 EU/m 3 , seems to support the hypothesis, that no extra loss of lung function is seen at an exposure below 200 EU/m 3 .…”

Occupational exposures and risk of stomach and esophageal cancers: Update of a cohort of female textile workers in Shanghai, China

“…Industrial hygienists estimated cotton dust exposures based on historical measurements from 56 factories. Concentrations of endotoxin were modeled based on predicated cotton dust estimates, surveys of textile job‐specific endotoxin exposure by Christiani et al [Olenchock et al, ; Kennedy et al, ; Christiani et al, , ] and measurements collected by University of Washington at three factories in Shanghai [Astrakianakis et al, ]. Cumulative exposure was evaluated by adding exposures across years of employment based on the subjects' work history.…”