Earticle

초록

영어

WHO considers ambient air pollution as the greatest environmental health risk. The “United Nations Environment Program Action Notes 2021” reported that 99% of world population live in places with atmospheric air pollutants levels above WHO’s exposure limits. This mini-review included three studies from the “Congo Occupational/Environmental Health Research Project 2016- 2020”, focusing on the respiratory health of dust-exposed workers. They are case-control studies conducted by our Congo-Japan collaborative research team in stone quarry sites and construction sites in Katanga region, which is part of the African cooper-belt region. In total, 1,512 workers participated in those studies; the first one included 512 workers (256 female stone quarry workers, 256 unexposed female workers), the second included 570 workers (282 male cement conveyors at construction sites, 288 unexposed male stone quarry workers), whereas the third study included 441 workers (199 dust-exposed male artisanal coltan miners, 242 unexposed male workers). Control groups comprised local administrative office workers and market tax collectors. Participants answered a respiratory health questionnaire, underwent physical examination and lung function testing. Air quality was assessed by means of an air quality monitor. Results showed a lack of personal protective equipment use in both female stone quarry workers and male cement conveyors. Our first study conducted in stone quarry sites which included female workers, higher PM2.5 (205 ± 13.2 μg/m3 vs. 31.3 ± 10.3 μg/m3; p < 0.001) was observed, as compared with controls. similarly, the second study which included male cement conveyors also showed higher PM2.5 (197.0 ± 0.0 μg/m3 vs. 29.0 ± 0.1 μg/m3; p < 0.001), as compared with unexposed controls. Furthermore, third study which included male coltan miners showed extremely elevated PM2.5 (215.0 ± 11.3 μg/m3 vs. 33.0 ± 4.2 μg/m3; p < 0.001) compared to control workplaces. Respiratory complaints were very common in all exposed workers’ groups, with significantly reduced lung capacity in female stone quarry workers (mean PEFR: 344.8 ± 2.26 vs. 405 ± 67.7 L/s; p < 0.001), hand-operated cement conveyors (445.1 ± 89.0 vs. 482.3 ± 63.2; p < 0.001) and artisanal coltan miners in the third study (347.9 ± 66.9 vs. 493.67.4; p < 0.001). Dust-exposed Congolese workers are exposed to high air pollutants levels, which contribute to increased frequency of respiratory complaints and impaired lung function.

목차

Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study design, sites and participants
2.2. Inclusion criteria
2.3. Survey questionnaire, lung function testing and air quality monitoring
2.4. Ethical consideration and statistical analysis
3. Results
3.1. Air quality in the working environments
3.2. Characteristics of the study participants and air quality in the working environment
4. Discussion
5. Conclusion
References

키워드

저자

• Nlandu Roger Ngatu [ Congo-Japan NCDs Research Team, Congo central province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)/Kagawa University Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan ] Corresponding Author
• Leon Ngombe Kabamba [ Kagawa University Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan ]
• Christian Mapong Wansu [ Congo-Japan NCDs Research Team, Congo central province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ]
• Marie Miezi Nsimba [ Congo-Japan NCDs Research Team, Congo central province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)/Laboratory of Bio-organic Research, Department of Medical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharma-ceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DRC ]
• Jose Nzunzu Lami [ Congo-Japan NCDs Research Team, Congo central province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)/Laboratory of Bio-organic Research, Department of Medical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharma-ceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DRC ]
• Severin Luzitu Nangana [ Congo-Japan NCDs Research Team, Congo central province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ]
• Michel Nzaji Kabamba [ Kagawa University Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan ]

참고문헌

발행기관

간행물

표지보기 관심저널 등록

• 간행물명

  The Journal of Sciences and Innovation for Sustainable Peace(구 The journal of Hyojeong Academia)

• 간기

  반년간

• pISSN

  2982-9305

• 수록기간

  2023~2026

• 십진분류

  KDC 238 DDC 289