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[Organic dust at workplaces: measurement of pyrogenic activity]
V Liebers1, S Brinkert, H Stubel
1Institut für Prävention und Arbeitsmedizin der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung, Institut der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum. liebers@ipa-dguv.de
Background:
Organic dust is composed of numerous components. Exposed people may have health problems. Respiratory tract complaints may occur at workplaces like those in agriculture or in the waste industry. Therefore methods that determine the composition and activity of dust components are important. They help in the performance of risk estimations and could accompany intervention studies. The aim of our study was to establish a whole blood assay using cryo-preserved blood for characterisation of the pyrogenic activity originating from organic dust samples.
Methods:
30 dust filter extracts from several workplaces as well as E. coli endotoxin, zymosan and Aspergillus versicolor extract were analysed using the whole blood assay. In addition, all workplace samples were analysed by means of the Limulus amoebocyte lysate test (LAL test) with regard to endotoxin activity. The whole blood assay is a two-step assay: Firstly, blood is incubated with the stimulus and, secondly, mediators released in the supernatant were determined (IL1-β, MCP-1)
Results:
It was possible to detext pyrogenic activity for all 30 dust filter extracts. IL-1β release from cryo-preserved blood was in the range of 33 to 500,000 pg/mL. Correlation with the results of the LAL test was r=0.9 (p=5,0E-07). In addition to IL-1β, measurement of MCP-1 was undertaken. Immunological activity of substances like Aspergillus versicolor extract, which induced no IL-1β release, could be detected via determination of MCP-1.
Conclusions:
Cryo-preserved blood offers the possibility to quantify pyrogenic activity of dust samples by measuring IL-1β and MCP-1. The whole blood assay can be used as a standardised method for description of the dust load at workplaces.
