Dose-response for occupational asthma in cobalt refiners

Occupational asthma was related to the level or exposure and co-exposure to irritant gasses in a longitudinal study of cobalt refiners in the Kokkola plant in Finland. Good case definition with challenge positive cases only, good air measuremets. Some (23%) workers with occupational asthma had normal NSBR at presentation, skin prick testing to cobalt chloride negative in all cases.

The picture is of a slag heap made from mining copper in Lubumbashi, in the Congo. It contains about 25% of the worlds cobalt.

References

	Sauni R, Linna A, Oksa P, Nordman H, Tuppurainen M, Uitti J, Cobalt asthma — a case series from a cobalt plant, Occup Med, 2010;60:301-306,

Related pages

			Cobalt

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