Respiratory health and breath condensate acidity in sawmill workers.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate exhaled breath condensate acidity (EBC pH) as a biomarker of airway response to occupational respiratory hazards present in sawmill.

Methods: Sixty-one sawmill workers in total (26 from Sawmill 1 and 35 from Sawmill 2) provided EBC samples at the beginning and at the end of the working week. Respiratory symptoms, lung function, bronchodilator test and atopy status were assessed.

Occupational exposure to airborne fungi in two Croatian sawmills and atopy in exposed workers.

Airborne fungi were collected over a one year period at 2-month intervals at 2 sawmills in Croatia (SM 1 and SM 2) processing mainly beech wood and oak wood. A questionnaire concerning respiratory symptoms and skin prick test (SPT) with common inhalatory allergens and moulds Cladosporium herbarum, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium notatum, and Rhizopus nigricans were performed in 96 workers from the same sawmills. Average concentrations of airborne fungi were 1,696-7,316 cfu/m(3) in SM 1 and 1,706-4,819 cfu/m(3) in SM 2, respectively.

Acute effects of smoking and food consumption on breath condensate pH in healthy adults.

Acute effects of food and cigarette consumption on exhaled breath condensate (EBC) acidity are insufficiently explored. The study aimed to evaluate potential changes in EBC pH within 2 hours following cigarette or food consumption. In 15 healthy smokers, samples were obtained after 10 hours of abstinence from smoking and then 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes after smoking 1 cigarette.