Effect of Phosphate Exposure on Workers Health

Effect of Phosphate Exposure on Workers Respiratory and Oral Health in Phosphate Mine at Safaga

To minimize negative health effects on health of workers in phosphate mining, it is important to assess, and diagnose health related effect of phosphate exposure & health hazards related to miners. Early reporting, diagnosis, and intervention can limit the severity of health hazards, improve the health services. To our knowledge no local previous studies were done in this area.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Work-related Illness
• Intervention / Treatment: Radiation: chest x ray

Detailed Description

Mining continues to be a dangerous activity, whether large-scale industrial mining or small-scale artisanal mining. Not only are there accidents, but exposure to dust and toxins, along with stress from the working environment or managerial pressures, give rise to a range of diseases that affect miners. Beneficiation is the process of removing the unnecessary minerals, which is used to increase the grade of mining product (concentrate). Phosphate ores can be beneficiated using one or a combination of different methods. The most common ones are: flotation, crushing, desliming, separation, grinding and washing thus keeping workers in Phosphate mines employ exposed to respirable dust pollution and to high silica dust levels presented in silicosis in many job areas, Silicosis is the most common occupational lung disease in Egypt where its prevalence rate ranges from 18.5 % to 45.8% among workers exposed to free crystalline silica dust. Despite its high prevalence, there is a lack of enforcement of exposure limits, availability and use of personal protective equipment, and occupational health education programs .

In Egyptian phosphate miners' study (2011), The study involved of three groups: 50 silica-exposed workers with radiological evidence of silicosis, 50 silica-exposed workers without evidence of silicosis, and 50 healthy unexposed subjects. , There were significant differences between pulmonary function parameters, values of C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, complement component C3, IgA, IgG, and IgM in exposed groups with and without silicosis, and healthy unexposed control subjects (p<.001).

Exposure to acid fumes in the phosphate mining was significantly associated with dental erosion and deteriorated oral health status, As working in phosphate mines had 8 and 28 times the risk for developing respectively oral lesions and teeth abrasions. This supported by Tunisian 2017 on 37 workers& 37 controls, found that frequencies of fluorosis, teeth abrasion, and oral lesions were significantly higher among the exposed group.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 100

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 25 years to 60 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Active working miners working in phosphate mines with minimum exposure 5 year.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Active working miners working in phosphate mines with minimum exposure 5 year.
• Had free pre-employment records.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Workers don't record phosphate exposure as in administration department.
• Workers with less than 5-year exposure
• Workers known to had autoimmune disorder before joining job.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
pneumoconiosis or not	The chest radiographs obtained will be classified according to the International Labor Organization (ILO) System for Classification of Radiographs for Pneumoconiosis [ILO, 1980]. Film quality, profusion, and shape and size of opacities will be evaluated by this method. Radiographic evidence of silicosis was defined as a profusion score of 1/0 or greater	through study completion, an average of 1 year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
dental caries	The DMFT index is one of the simplest and most used indices in epidemiologic surveys of dental caries. It quantifies dental health status based on the number of carious, missing and filled teeth	through study completion, an average of 1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Assiut University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Stewart AG. Mining is bad for health: a voyage of discovery. Environ Geochem Health. 2020 Apr;42(4):1153-1165. doi: 10.1007/s10653-019-00367-7. Epub 2019 Jul 9.
• Khelifi M, Zarrouk A, Nury T, Hamed H, Saguem S, Salah RB, Riedinger JM, Lizard G. Cytokine and eicosanoid profiles of phosphate mine workers. J Toxicol Sci. 2014 Jun;39(3):465-74. doi: 10.2131/jts.39.465.
• Kalliny MS, Bassyouni MI. Immune response due to silica exposure in Egyptian phosphate mines. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2011;22(4 Suppl):91-109. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2011.0156.
• Amin WM, Al-Omoush SA, Hattab FN. Oral health status of workers exposed to acid fumes in phosphate and battery industries in Jordan. Int Dent J. 2001 Jun;51(3):169-74. doi: 10.1002/j.1875-595x.2001.tb00835.x.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Anticipated): January 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): January 30, 2023
• Study Completion (Anticipated): December 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 28, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 23, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): October 26, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 26, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 23, 2021
• Last Verified: September 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: Phosphate exposure

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No