Respiratory disease in workers handling cross-linked water-soluble acrylic acid polymer.

Eight workers involved in packing cross-linked water-soluble acrylic acid polymer, an organic substance, developed pulmonary fibrosis, and the upper lobe was the most affected. The dust concentration in the polymer packing workstation was measured. Chest computed tomography (CT) was obtained for 82 individuals, including the 8 workers mentioned above.