EFFECT OF EXPOSURE TO DUST GENERATED FROM CRUSHING OF CRANITE ROCKS ON THE LUNG FUNCTION OF SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIAN CHILDREN

We measured and compared ventilatory function indices: forced vital capacity (FVC); forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁%) and peak expiratory flowrate (PEFR) of 442 granite dust-exposed Nigerian children (221 males and 221 females) aged 6-16years to those of 472 (238 males and 234 females) aged, weight and sex-matched Nigerian children not exposed to any known pollutant as control. The respirable dust levels in the dusty (test) and control environments were also measured. The respirable dust level in the dusty environment (0.064 ± 0.003mg/m³) was significantly higher (P<0.00) than in the control environment (0.0133 ± 0.004mg/m³). The mean values of FVC, FEV₁, and PEFR of the dust-exposed children were significantly lower (P<0.001) than those of children in control sites. FEV₁% was however not significantly different, thus, indicating restrictive lung defect in the dust exposed children. Chronic exposure to granite rock dust may therefore impair lung function in children.