Working Environment in a Rubber Sheet Smoking Factory Polluted by Smoke from Biomass Fuel Burning and Health Influences to Workers

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  • CHOOSONG Thitiworn
    Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
  • FURUUCHI Masami
    Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
  • TEKASAKUL Perapong
    Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
  • TEKASAKUL Surajit
    Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
  • CHOMANEE, Jiraporn
    Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
  • JINNO Tsuyoshi
    Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
  • HATA Mitsuhiko
    Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
  • OTANI Yoshio
    Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan

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Abstract

The working environment in a ribbed rubber smoke sheets (RSS) cooperative in Songkhla province in Thailand, which is under serious air pollution by smoke from the biomass burning in rubber sheet drying process, has been monitored focusing on pollutants such as particle-bound PAHs as well as NO2, SO2 and VOCs. Both size fractionated particles and total suspended particulates (TSP) have been sampled using air samplers. The personal exposure was also investigated using personal samplers. Workers in 22 cooperatives were interviewed to discuss their opinion on the working environment, health problems and the demand for pollution control. A preliminary investigation into the prevalence of worker's respiratory symptom was also done.<BR> The average PAHs concentration was more than 5 times larger in the workplace than in the ambient. Workers' main discomforts were smoke and odor. The priorities of pollution control device were high performance, ease of use, and convenience in maintenance, respectively. From the respiratory symptoms questionnaire, the prevalence of cough, productive cough, chest discomfort, wheezing sound and cold were evaluated as 64.7%, 49%, 51%, 13.7% and 66.7%, respectively. The upper respiratory symptoms were very likely to be related to pollutants in the workplace.

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