الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Air pollution in industrial areas is an occupational environmental health problem that has apriority in the Sustainable Development Goals due to its direct impact on health of workers. Industrial emissions are the first source of air emissions in industrial areas leading to production of various air contaminants causing various adverse health effects.(23)
Air pollution can be classified according to the source either primary or secondary, according to the mode of release either indoor or outdoor and according to chemical composition either particulate matter or gases.(107)
Chronic exposure to gaseous emissions principally NO2 and SO2 leads to respiratory symptoms such as chronic cough, chronic phlegm production, dyspnea, wheeze, reduction of pulmonary function test and obstructive lung diseases.(5)
The study was conducted in two different factories in two industrial areas in Egypt; one of the factories was a ceramic production factory at Sadat city. The other factory was a food production factory at Borg-El-Arab city. HRCT was performed in one of the major hospitals. Air samples were analyzed at occupational hygiene laboratory at High Institute of Public Health.
The main aim of the study was to assess the relationship between air pollution and respiratory health problems among workers in two industrial areas in Egypt. The study was carried on 100workers from each factory. Workers of each factory were divided into two equal groups, indoor and outdoor group according to their nature of work. The four groups were matching regarding age, smoking history and duration of work.
All workers in the study were subjected to complete history taking, Arabic version of British Medical Research Council Questionnaire (BMRC), full general and chest examination, physiological test (PFTs). About twenty workers from each factory characterized with the lowest pulmonary function test results combined with positive respiratory symptoms as obtained from BMRC questionnaire were subjected to radiological examination by HRCT.
Appropriate statistical procedures were then applied to process the data and the following results were obtained
• No significant statistical difference between indoor groups of the two studied factories regarding respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function test results, HRCT of selected workers. Moreover no significant difference was found between concentrations of TSP or PM10 in the indoor work environment.
• Respiratory symptoms including chronic cough, dyspnea, wheeze were significantly prevalent among outdoor workers of ceramic factory at Sadat city compared with outdoor workers of food factory at Borg El-Arab city.
• The results of pulmonary function in outdoor ceramic workers were significantly lower than that of outdoor food workers (79.76± 7.61) vs.(85.80± 6.28) for FVC, (77.22± 9.83) vs.(86.52± 7.04) for FEV1, (79.53± 5.93)vs. (82.40± 4.03) for FEV1/FVC.
• As regard radiological imaging, outdoor workers of each factory with the lowest pulmonary function test results combined with positive respiratory symptoms were compared for obstructive and restrictive elements. There was significant statistical difference between both groups regarding obstructive signs.
• There was significant statistical difference in NO2 and SO2 concentrations compared in the outdoor work environment of the two factories.
• There was a positive association between concentrations of NO2 in outdoor work environment of the ceramic factory and prevalence of chronic cough, breathlessness and wheeze among outdoor ceramic workers.
• There was a strong positive association between concentrations of SO2 in outdoor work environment of the ceramic factory and wheeze among outdoor ceramic workers.
• There was a positive association between concentrations of NO2, SO2 and decline of FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC in outdoor ceramic workers.
6.2. Conclusion
1. Segregation of different industries in industrial cities resulted in cross air pollution. Exposure to air pollution in occupational settings is associated with various respiratory health problems.
2. Diagnosis of air pollution related respiratory health problems depends on detection of respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function tests and HRCT of the lung. Diagnosis is complemented with air sampling of work environment.
3. Indoor exposures to air pollution are not associated with respiratory health problems as long as the indoor environmental measurements do not exceed the TLV threshold.
4. Exposure to outdoor workers to outdoor air pollution leads to multiple respiratory complains and morbidity including decline in lung function and obstructive lung diseases.
5. High concentrations of NO2 were positively associated with chronic cough, dyspnea, wheeze, decline of pulmonary function test results.
6. High concentrations of SO2 were positively associated with wheeze and decline of pulmonary function test results.