Correlation of Lipopolysaccharide Endotoxin Level in Cotton Dust with the Increase of TNFα Level and the Decline of Lung Function in Cotton Spinning Factory Workers

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin contained in cotton dust may cause airway inflammation and decline of lung function when inhaled, which eventually leads to respiratory symptoms. The objective of this research is to analyze the correlation of the exposure of LPS endotoxin in cotton dust with the increase of TNFα level and the decline of lung function after one day’s work. This study applies analytical observation method and prospective cohort approach. Main participants of this study were the workers of a cotton spinning factory located in Tulangan District, Sidoarjo Regency, East Java Province. Sixteen samples from cotton factory were taken as study group, and twenty three samples from village administrators were taken as control group. Data collection involves several techniques: spirometry, laboratory test, and interview. Results showed that concentration of personal dust has a significant relationship with the decline of FVC, %FVC, FEV1, and %FEV1, with Pearson correlation test showing p<0.05. LPS endotoxin in personal dust samples has a significant relationship with the increase of blood serum TNFα and the decline of FEV1 and %FEV1, with Pearson correlation test showing p>0.05. The research concludes that the level of LPS endotoxin was strongly related to the increase of blood serum TNFα and the decline of lung function. Development of more effective preventive measures such as stronger enforcement of worker’s health maintenance regulations and use of personal protective equipment is needed to ensure the best protection of cotton workers’ health

Enam Kebutuhan Fundamental Perumahan Sehat

Housing quality is the key to the public health. Therefore public health and housing professionals have to grasp sharing responsibility to ensure that our housing stock is safe, decent, affordable, and healthy for citizens. Research concluded that people live at the slum area has increase incident of communicable diseases and home accident compared to people live at sanitary housing and clean residential environment. It seems obviously that health is related to where people live. Consequently, it makes sense that housing environment constitutes one of the major influences on health and human well-being. American Public Health Association (APHA) Committee on the hygiene of housing created the six fundamental needs of healthful housing, which provided guidance regarding the fundamental needs of humans as they relate to housing. These fundamental needs include physiological and psychological needs, protection against disease, protection against injury, protection against fire and electrical shock, and protection against toxic and explosive gases. In Indonesia, conditions of housing and residential environmental as well as its assessments are clearly stated in Decree of Health Ministry of Republic Indonesia No. 829/Menkes/SK/VII/1999. Keywords : healthful housing, six fundamental need

Efektifitas Larutan Asam Cuka untuk Menurunan Kandungan Logam Berat Cadmium dalam Daging Kerang Bulu

High concentration of Cadmium (Cd) heavy metal content in shellfish will affect to public health through food chain. The health effect includes acute and chronic poisoning, and carcinogenic effect. In order to minimize the health effect, it should be efforted to reduce Cd heavy metal content in shellfish by soaking in weak acid solution as chelating agent such as acetic acid solution. Therefore the aim of this study was to measure effectivity of acetic acid solution in reducing Cd heavy metal content in certain shellfish namely Kerang Bulu or Anadara indica. This study was an experimental study in laboratory, which was designed as pre-test and post-test with control group design. Twenty samples of Kerang Bulu from Kenjeran beach of Surabaya were included in this study. Each ten sample was divided into three parts and measured Cd heavy metal content before and after treatment by soaking in acetic acid solution 25 % and 12,5 % for 1 and 2 hours. Average concentration of Cd heavy metal content in Kerang Bulu was 2,47 ± 0,79 ppm. It was extreemely higher compared to the threshold limit value recommeded by ILO/WHO i.e. 0.1 ppm. Soaking in acetic acid solution 25 % for 1 and 2 hours significantly reduced (paired samples t test, p <0,01) Cd heavy metal content in Kerang Bulu 1,71 ppm (63,20 %) and 1,96 ppm (77,72 %) respectively. While soaking in acetic acid solution 12.5 % for 1 and 2 hours significantly reduced (paired samples t test, p <0,01) Cd heavy metal content in Kerang Bulu 1,35 ppm (51,44 %) and 1,71 ppm (65,93 %) respectively. It is concluded that Kerang Bulu taken from Kenjeran beach of Surabaya have already polluted by high Cd heavy metal concentration. Acetic acid solution with 25 % and 12,5 % concentration are considered as an effective chelating agent to reduce Cd heavy metal concentration in shellfish of Kerang Bulu. However, it will need further study on the effectivity of acetic acid or other weak acid solutions in reducing several heavy-metal content in other marine biotics. Keywords : Acetic acid solution, Cadmium, chelating agent, shellfish