[The risk of oligomers in the textile industry]

An experimental research was carried out at the Institute of Occupational Health of Turin University on the risks following exposure to oligomers with particular reference to the textile industry. A group of 36 Sprague-Dawley rats were injected endotracheally with a suspension of dust collected from various sections of twisting and spinning departments while 6 rats used a referent groups, were treated with normal solution in the way. Five rats had pneumonia and 1 rat showed the presence of aspecific granuloma whereas the histological patterns for the other rats were found to be similar to those of the control group. In the Authors' opinion it is impossible at the moment, to give a definite conclusion as to the role of oligomers in lung damage.