Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Pine dust, atopy and lung function: A cross-sectional study in sawmill workers.

J Douwes1, D McLean, T Slater

  • 1Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Private Box 756, Wellington, 6002, New Zealand. j.douwes@massey.ac.nz

The European Respiratory Journal
|May 19, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Pine sawmill dust exposure is linked to asthma and reduced lung function. Green dust specifically correlates with atopy, while both green and dry dust impact lung capacity, affecting workers with and without asthma symptoms.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Evidence that the Aso-3 caldera-forming eruption (southwest Japan) marks the termination of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 6.

Quaternary science reviews·2026
Same author

Mars sample return campaign: biological risk and a proposed sample safety assessment protocol.

Applied and environmental microbiology·2026
Same author

Respiratory conditions and pesticide exposure in British pesticide applicators.

Occupational medicine (Oxford, England)·2025
Same author

Letter: Robins-E risk of bias tool.

Environment international·2025
Same author

Investigating animals and environments in contact with leptospirosis patients in Aotearoa New Zealand reveals complex exposure pathways.

New Zealand veterinary journal·2025
Same author

How do staff work in NHS hospital operations management meetings to support resilience in everyday service delivery? A qualitative study.

BMC health services research·2025

Area of Science:

  • Occupational Health
  • Environmental Medicine
  • Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

  • Pine sawmill workers have an elevated risk of asthma symptoms.
  • Previous studies indicated a link between sawmill work and respiratory issues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between pine dust exposure (green vs. dry), lung function, and atopy in sawmill workers.
  • To determine if specific dust types correlate with respiratory symptoms or allergic sensitization.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving randomly selected sawmill workers with and without asthma symptoms.
  • Spirometry was used to assess lung function (Forced Vital Capacity, Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second, Peak Expiratory Flow).
  • Skin-prick tests were conducted to determine atopy; inhalable dust levels were measured concurrently.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Exposure to dry pine dust was associated with asthma symptoms, while green dust was linked to atopic sensitization.
  • Workers exposed to high levels of green or dry dust showed significantly reduced lung function parameters.
  • Both dust types were associated with obstructive and restrictive pulmonary effects, irrespective of asthma status.

Conclusions:

  • Green pine sawdust exposure may be a risk factor for developing atopy.
  • Both green and dry pine dust contribute to adverse pulmonary effects, including reduced lung function and obstructive/restrictive changes.