Sains Malaysiana 49(3)(2020): 573-581

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4903-12

Crystalline Silica Exposure and Air Quality Perception of Residents Living Around Home Stone Factories

(Dedahan Habluran Silika dan Persepsi Kualiti Udara Penduduk yang Tinggal di Sekitar Kilang Batu Rumah)

SAKESUN THONGTIP¹, PENPRAPA SIVIROJ⁵*, ATHAVUDH DEESOMCHOK², ANAWAT WISETBORISUT³ & TIPPAWAN PRAPAMONTOL⁴

¹Division of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand

²Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

³Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

⁴Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

⁵Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University

Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

Received: 5 March 2019/Accepted: 6 December 2019

ABSTRACT

Stone factories containing harmful inhalable crystalline silica that can penetrate deep into the respiratory system causing silicosis. People living around stone factories should be concerned about the risk of dust pollutants. This study aimed to assess the crystalline silica concentrations and air quality perception (AQP) among residents living around home stone factories. Forty samples of PM₁₀ and crystalline silica concentrations were collected from 11 home stone factories and measured following the NIOSH methods 0600 and 7601. A cross- sectional study was carried out into 325 subjects who were interviewed using the AQP and respiratory symptoms questionnaires, and a Geographic Information System technique for distance from stone factories was measured. The average crystalline silica concentrations of all stone factories were higher than the recommendation. Bivariate analyses showed that the subjects’ age, income, occupation, smoking, distances, and number of respiratory symptoms were associated with AQP. Interestingly, those with distance from stone factories lower than 50 m had a poorer AQP than those whose distance from stone factories was more than 100 m (cOR 2.5, 95%CI: 1.3-4.9). An increasing number of respiratory symptoms was associated with a poor quality of air perception (B = 0.752, SE = 0.242) and those which had chest pain, nose irritation and stuffy nose were associated with a poor AQP. All home stone factories produce inhalable dust pollutants. The AQP can be used to link distances from pollutant sources and have a relationship with respiratory symptoms. Periodically monitor dust pollutants exposure, AQP and surveillance of respiratory illness should be done. 

Keywords: Air quality perception; crystalline silica; GIS; home stone factory; respiratory symptoms

ABSTRACT

Kilang batu mengandungi habluran silika sedutan berbahaya yang boleh menembusi jauh ke dalam sistem pernafasan dan menyebabkan silikosis. Penduduk yang tinggal di sekitar kawasan kilang batu seharusnya bimbang tentang risiko pencemaran debu. Kajian ini bertujuan menilai kepekatan habluran silika dan persepsi kualiti udara (AQP) dalam kalangan penduduk yang tinggal di sekitar kawasan kilang batu rumah. Empat puluh sampel PM₁₀ dan kepekatan habluran silika dikumpul daripada 11 kilang batu rumah dan diukur menggunakan kaedah NIOSH 0600 dan 7601. Suatu kajian rentas telah dijalankan ke atas 325 subjek yang ditemu bual menggunakan AQP dan soal selidik gejala pernafasan serta teknik Sistem Maklumat Geografi digunakan untuk mengukur jarak daripada kilang batu. Purata kepekatan habluran silika kesemua kilang batu adalah lebih tinggi daripada yang disarankan. Analisis bivariat menunjukkan umur, pendapatan, pekerjaan, perokok, jarak serta gejala pernafasan subjek dikaitkan dengan AQP. Menariknya, subjek dengan jarak daripada kilang batu kurang daripada 50 m mempunyai AQP yang lebih rendah berbanding subjek dengan jarak 100 m daripada kilang batu (cOR 2.5, 95%CI: 1.3-4.9). Peningkatan gejala pernafasan dikaitkan dengan persepsi kualiti udara yang kurang baik (B = 0.752, SE = 0.242) dan subjek yang mengalami sakit dada, gatal hidung serta hidung tersumbat dikaitkan dengan AQP yang rendah. Semua kilang batu rumah menghasilkan  pencemaran debu sedutan. AQP boleh digunakan untuk menghubungkan jarak daripada sumber pencemaran dan mempunyai perkaitan dengan gejala pernafasan. Kawalan secara berkala dedahan pencemaran debu, AQP dan pengawasan penyakit pernafasan sepatutnya dijalankan. 

Kata kunci: Gejala pernafasan; GIS; habluran silika; kilang batu rumah; persepsi kualiti udara

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*Corresponding author; email: psiviroj@gmail.com