Skip Navigation



Annals of Occupational Hygiene Advance Access published online on September 7, 2005
Annals of Occupational Hygiene, doi:10.1093/annhyg/mei050
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
50/2/131    most recent
mei050v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bogdanovic, J.
Right arrow Articles by Heederik, D. J. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bogdanovic, J.
Right arrow Articles by Heederik, D. J. J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 2005 British Occupational Hygiene Society
Received April 26, 2005
Accepted August 11, 2005

Article

Application of porous foams for size-selective measurements of airborne wheat allergen

J. Bogdanovic 1*, A. J. de Pater 2, G. Doekes 1, I. M. Wouters 1, and D. J. J. Heederik 1

1 Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
2 Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands; TNO Quality of Life, Zeist, The Netherlands

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Bogdanovic, E-mail: j.bogdanovic{at}iras.uu.nl


  Abstract

Background: Exposure to airborne wheat allergen is a well-known cause of bakers' allergy and asthma. Airborne wheat allergen can be measured by enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) in extracts of inhalable dust samples, but only limited knowledge is available on the size distribution of wheat allergen-carrying particles. Recently, a new sampling medium, porous polyurethane foam, has been introduced for the size-selective sampling of airborne dust in various occupational settings. We investigated the applicability of these foams for size-selective wheat allergen measurements.

Methods: Personal and stationary measurements were performed in a flour mill, using respirable and thoracic foams inserted into the conventional IOM inhalable sampler, together with PTFE (Teflon) filters. Foams and filters were eluted and wheat allergen levels determined by human IgG4 inhibition EIA.

Results: Wheat allergen levels could be determined in both filter and foam eluates. Inhalable dust levels from filters and foams ranged from 1.4 to 53 mg m-3, and wheat allergen levels from 15 to 580 µg m-3. The allergen was mainly borne on particles with Dae (particle aerodynamic diameter) > 10 µm and particles with 4 µm < Dae ≤ 10 µm, accounting for 54.5-77.5% and 18.9-43.2% of the total allergen yield, respectively. Less than 4% of airborne wheat allergen was carried by particles smaller than 4 µm (respirable fraction).

Conclusions: Measurement of wheat allergen in dust fractions trapped in respirable and thoracic foams is technically feasible. Both wheat flour dust and wheat allergen are mainly concentrated in larger particle-size fractions (extrathoracic and tracheobronchial).


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ANN OCCUP HYGHome page
F. De Vocht, A. Hirst, and A. Gardner
Application of PUF Foam Inserts for Respirable Dust Measurements in the Brick-Manufacturing Industry
Ann. Hyg., January 1, 2009; 53(1): 19 - 25.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ANN OCCUP HYGHome page
M. Lauriere, P. Gorner, I. Bouchez-Mahiout, R. Wrobel, C. Breton, J.-F. Fabries, and D. Choudat
Physical and Biochemical Properties of Airborne Flour Particles Involved in Occupational Asthma
Ann. Hyg., November 1, 2008; 52(8): 727 - 737.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Appl. Environ. Microbiol.Home page
S. Spaan, G. Doekes, D. Heederik, P. S. Thorne, and I. M. Wouters
Effect of Extraction and Assay Media on Analysis of Airborne Endotoxin
Appl. Envir. Microbiol., June 15, 2008; 74(12): 3804 - 3811.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.