Occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica at an underground copper mine in Zambia.

Introduction: Overexposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) can lead to the development of silicosis and other respiratory diseases. The mine under study was reported to have the highest number of certified cases of pneumoconiosis in Zambia in 2015, and in 2008, a study revealed that 56% of the RCS samples exceeded 0.05 mg/m3.

A cross-sectional study on domestic use of biomass fuel and the prevalence of respiratory illnesses in a rural community in Thaba-Tseka district of Lesotho.

The domestic utilization of biomass fuel for purposes such as cooking, space heating, and water heating has been linked to a number of respiratory ailments, particularly when burned inefficiently. However, there is an existing knowledge gap on the impact of this practice on the health of Basotho. This study aims to explore the impact of biomass fuels use on the prevalence of respiratory illnesses among residents of two rural communities in Thaba-Tseka.

A SWOT analysis of contemporary gaps and a possible diagnostic tool for environmental health in an upper-middle income country: a case study of South Africa.

This study evaluated the state of environmental health in the Republic of South Africa using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis framework. The internal and external factor evaluations were conducted by reviewing existing literature searched using a combination of keywords and boolean functions. The weighted score for the strengths and weaknesses was 0.

Physicochemical Properties of Indoor and Outdoor Particulate Matter 2.5 in Selected Residential Areas near a Ferromanganese Smelter.

Particulate matter (PM) of different sizes and elemental composition is a leading contributor to indoor and outdoor air pollution in residential areas. We sought to investigate similarities between indoor and outdoor PM in three residential areas near a ferromanganese smelter in Meyerton to apportion the emission source(s). Indoor and outdoor PM samples were collected concurrently, using GilAir300 plus samplers, at a flow rate of 2.

Accessing Occupational Health Services in the Southern African Development Community Region.

Only 15% of the global population has access to occupational safety and health services. In Africa, only 5% of employees working from major establishments have access to occupational health services (OHS). Access to primary health care (PHC) services is addressed in many settings and inclusion of OHS in these facilities might increase efficiency in preventing occupational diseases.

Risk Assessment of Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene, and Xylene Concentrations from the Combustion of Coal in a Controlled Laboratory Environment.

A D-grade type coal was burned under simulated domestic practices in a controlled laboratory set-up, in order to characterize the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); namely, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX). Near-field concentrations were collected in a shack-like structure constructed using corrugated iron, simulating a traditional house found in informal settlements in South Africa (SA). Measurements were carried out using the Synspec Spectras GC955 real-time monitor over a three-hour burn cycle.