PROCESS BASED ASSESSMENT OF NANOPARTICLES AND MICROORGANISMS IN INDOOR WORK ENVIRONMENTS OF PREMIUM LEATHER INDUSTRY, LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Considering the use of animal hides and skins in the preparation of leather products, the indoor working environment of tanneries tend to contain inhalable dust particles as well as microbes that may pose health risks to workers. In the current study, which was carried out at Premium leather industry Lahore, health risk was analysed on the basis of particle size distribution. Aerosol spectrometer was used to conduct indoor aerosol analysis considering two different categories of indoor airborne nanoparticles (nanoparticles of sizes > 0.25µm and > 0.5μm). Twelve departments within the tannery were covered along with questionnaire survey to identify baseline health status of workers and any changes that might be caused due to working environment. Microbial samples were collected from the air using silicon glass slides and were identified and isolated in the laboratory. Molecular phylogenetic analysis revealing a variety of bacteria most of which are pathogenic were found closely related to ones detected. As a conclusion, both the inhalable fraction of nanoparticles as well as the pathogenic bacteria can be found guilty of creating a harmful environment for workers based on different departments and processes involved. Workers with existing ailments were prone to infections compared to the healthy ones. Use of proper PPEs and aeration can also be helpful.