Assessment of diesel particulate matter exposure of underground miners in indonesia

Abstract

In Indonesia, there are underground mines for mineral metal such copper (Cu) and gold (Au), built by tunneling towards the mineral location. The purpose of this study was to determine the mapping a concentration of diesel particulate matter (DPM) and assess the impact on health by severity measurement of airflow obstruction of the miners experiencing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The data of DPM were measured with NIOSH method no. 5040 and applied a geostatistical method in mapping concentration at the area of underground mining. A spirometric measurement was conducted to diagnose COPD that is done to the 314 miners. The results showed that the concentrations exceeding the permissible exposure limit (PEL) and spirometric measurement were found for 26 miners (8.3%) who experience COPD (post bronchodilator <0.70). The severity measurement of airflow obstruction of the miners experiencing COPD, severity of airflow limitation for moderate (GOLD 2) was obtained for 14 miners (54%); severe (GOLD 3) for 10 miners (38%) and very severe (GOLD 4) for 2 miners (8%). It can be concluded that the amount of DPM exposure against the severity of airflow limitation with COPD by 0.03, in which the other factors also affect the severity.