[Study of a group of subjects occupationally exposed to tartaric acid]

The Authors report the results of an investigation carried out in a factory producing tartaric acid in order to evaluate the effects of occupational exposure to this substance. A group of 44 subjects exposed to the acid and a group of 30 subjects not exposed, as a means of control, were submitted to anamnestic questionnaire, othorinolaringoyatric examination, spirometry, bronchodilatation test with salbutamol. Our data show a higher prevalence of oropharyngeal and cutaneous lesions in the exposed subjects, while no difference between the two groups was found for dental, bronchial and gastric lesions.