็Health Risk Assessment from iron particulate exposure of arunyik-knife makers snd their family member

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the health risk from iron particulate exposure through inhalation of the Arunyik-knife makers and their family in handicrafted Arunyik knife-making. This community of handicrafted Arunyik knife-making has made knife by the traditional process without specifically designated safeguards. Twenty three knife-makers and 23 family members, who did not involve the knife-making process, were purposively selected to be the study groups. Sixty nine air samples were collected following the OSHA Method ID-121 at the three sampling points including working area, personal and area inside the houses. Meanwhile, the pulmonary function test (PFT) by a spirometer were performed. The means of iron
particulate concentration at three sampling points were 0.4038±0.161, 0.5760±0.162 and 0.0131±0.004 mg/m³, respectively. The difference between these means was found to be significant. The mean concentration found in inside the houses was significantly lower than those found at working areas and on personal levels. The means of %FVC and %FEV₁ of the family-member group were significantly higher than those found in the knife-making group. Comparing to the PEL recommended by the OSHA and NIOSH, assessment of risk level from iron particulate exposure through inhalation of the knife makers ranged from 30.2-60.4%. However, the risk levels of the family members were very low with the rates ranged from 0.8-1.6% of the PEL.