A 20-year follow-up study on the effects of long-term exposure to thorium dust

• 作 者: 陈兴安 程永娥 肖慧娟 邓芸辉 冯志良 陈莲 韩轩茂 杨英杰 董智华 甄荣
• 机 构: Laboratory of Industrial Hygiene, Ministry of Health, Beijing 100088, China ,Laboratory of Industria
• 出 处: Chinese Medical Journal
• 发表日期: 2004年期
• 关键词: exposure hemoglobin counts lungs averaging

Objective To investigate the possible effects of long-term exposure to dust containing thorium and thoron progeny on dust-exposed miners. Methods A negative, high voltage, exhaled thoron progeny measurement system was used to estimate the miners’ thorium lung burden. Results The highest thorium lung burden of 638 miners was 11.11 Bq. The incidence of stage 0+ pneumoconiosis was higher among dust-exposed miners. Lung cancer mortality of the dust-exposed miners was significantly higher than that of controls (P<0.005). Conclusion There is a difference in cancer rates between those who have long-term exposure to dust containing thorium (in which carcinogenic ThO 2 and SiO 2 exist) and thoron progeny and those who have not.

Objective To investigate the possible effects of long-term exposure to dust containing thorium and thoron progeny on dust-exposed miners. Methods A negative, high voltage, exhaled thoron progeny measurement system was used to estimate the miners' thorium lung burden. Results The highest Thorium lung burden of 638 miners was 11.11 Bq. The incidence of stage 0 + pneumoconiosis was higher among dust-exposed miners. Lung cancer mortality of the dust-exposed miners was significantly higher than that of controls (P <0.005). Conclusion There is a difference in cancer rates among those who have long-term exposure to dust containing thorium (in which carcinogenic ThO 2 and SiO 2 exist) and thoron progeny and those who have not.