Sudhakar Pari¹,
Vadivel Sambasivam²

¹Assistant Professor,
Department of Physiology,
Chengalpattu Medical College
²Professor & HOD,
Department of Physiology,
Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Medical Sciences,
Palayanoor, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

• Background: Exposure to vapors and gases like CO (Carbon monoxide),NO2 (Nitrogen oxide)and HCN (Hydrogen cyanide) released throughout the production of distilled spirits is a possible hazard. During the fermentation process, several refrigerant gases released may be toxic and can lead to harmful effects on respiratory functioning.
• Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the lung function of workers with direct and indirect exposure to distillery and fermentation process assessed by spirometry. The objective is to compare the lung function with duration of exposure to distillery process among distillery workers in Maduranthagam.
• Materials and Methods: This was an observational study carried out in distillery factory workers who attended outpatient department of physiology in a tertiary care hospital in2016 for health checkup including pulmonary function test. PFT was done using Medicaid spiro excelSpirometry. Total of 67 samples were chosen for the study. All Factory workers were females of age from 19 yrs. to 33 yrs grouped into two groups based on type of exposure to distillery plant. Among them 40 had direct exposure (those working in distillery plant) and 27 had indirect exposure (those not working in distillery plant).Anthropometric measurements were taken for both groups before the assessment of PFT. The spirometric parameters that were taken for study were FVC (Forced Vital Capacity), FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in first second), FVC/FEV1% and PEFR (Peak Expiratory Flow Rate).
• Results: Direct exposure group had significant reduction in FVC, when compared to indirect exposure group. FEVI values were marginally reduced in direct exposure group. There was no significant difference in FEVI/FVC% and PEFR value among the two groups. Mean duration was more in direct exposure.
• Conclusion: There are only few studies on the respiratory effects of different processes in distillery brewery manufacturing. We found that distillery factory workers engaged in distillery plants were at risk of pulmonary function impairment, which might be related to gases, vapours and chemical exposure. Our study results have called for attention to the exposure to distillery plants among workers engaged in distillery factories.

Keywords: distillery, pulmonary function test, spirometry