[Biological effect of cement dust]

The harmful effect of cement dust upon living organisms consists in irritating, sensitizing and pneumoconiotic properties of its components. In animal studies it has been observed that cement dust induces atrophic and hypertrophic changes in nasal and pharyngeal mucosa and chronic exfoliative bronchitis. In the lungs of experimental animals slight tissue fibrosis and some emphysema foci were found. The examination of workers exposed to cement dust has shown that disorders of the upper respiratory airways they suffer from include most often chronic rhinitis, laryngitis and pharynx catarrh. Also, it has been noticed that chronic bronchitis in the exposed workers was 1.7 times more frequent compared to those non-exposed, and that asthma was diagnosed in some of the exposed workers. Chronic bronchitis was usually characterized by the symptoms of impaired, obstructive lung ventilation. Defects in lung ventilation were strictly related to the duration of mild cases of cement pneumoconiosis diagnosed in a small percentage of workers who were exposed for at least 10 years to high dust concentrations. Long-term contact of skin with cement results in inflammatory changes or, in some cases, in chemical burns. Etiological factors of inflammatory skin changes are allergenic elements (Cr, Nr, Co) and irritating agents found in cement.