Air quality and respiratory health of workers in Québec peat processing plants equipped with dust control systems Abstract Although peat bogs are one of Québec’s important natural resources, few scientific data exist on these workplaces, which employ approximately 700 people. These workers are exposed to high concentrations of microorganisms that could affect their respiratory health. The authors have identified the biological contaminants contained in the peat moss and their effects on health, and have evaluated the air quality in processing and packaging plants equipped with dust control systems, as well as the health status of the people working there. The results demonstrate that the levels of exposure to different contaminants most often exceed the permissible limits. For various reasons, the control systems at source do not maintain the dust emissions at acceptable levels. The report ends with a series of recommendations that could improve the working conditions of peat bog workers. Produced Under this Project Scientific Reports Air quality and respiratory health of workers in Québec peat processing plants equipped with dust control systems Research Report: R-363 Simplified Articles Traitement de la tourbeDes recommandations pour protéger la santé et améliorer la qualité de l'air Volume 18, n0 1 Scientific Publications Hypersensitivity pneumonitis in peat moss factoryCormier Y., Israël-Assayag E., Bédard G., Duchaine C.Source : American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, vol. 157, no 3, 1998, p. A888Microflora of air and peat in peat moss processing plants in Eastern CanadaPageau P., Mériaux A., Cormier Y., Goyer N., Duchaine C.Source : in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Proceedings of the 98th Conference of the American Thoracic Society (98th : May 17-22, 2002 : Atlanta, Georgia), no 8 , 2002, p. A522Rural work environment: evaluation of air harmfulness by in vitro tests on pulmonary epithelial cellsLétourneau V., Mériaux A., Chakir J., Cormier Y., Duchaine C.Source : in Future of Rural People : Rural Economy, Healthy People, Environment, Rural communities : 5th International Symposium (5th : October 18-24, 2003 : Saskatoon, Alberta), 2003Assessment of exposure to Mycobacterium in peat moss processing plants using real time PCR and sequence analysisCayer M. P., Veillette M., Hamelin R., Bergeron M.-J., Cormier Y., Duchaine C.Source : in Future of Rural People : Rural Economy, Healthy People, Environment, Rural communities : 5th International Symposium (5th : October 18-24, 2003 : Saskatoon, Alberta), 2003Sentitization to airborne molds and its health effects in peat moss factory workersCormier Y., Pageau P., Mériaux A., Assayag E., Duchaine C.Source : in Skokloster Workshop (4th : April 7-10 2003 : Department of Environmental Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden), 2003Microflora of air and peat in peat moss processing plants in Eastern CanadaPageau P., Cormier Y., Mériaux A., Goyer N., Duchaine C.Source : in Skokloster Workshop (4th : April 7-10, 2003 : Department of Environmental Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden), 2003Hypersensitivity pneumonitis in peat moss processing plant workersCormier Y., Israël-Assayag E., Bédard G., Duchaine C.Source : American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, vol. 158, no 2, 1998, p. 412-417Sensitization to airborne moulds in peat moss factory workers. Health Research in Rural and Remote Canada : Meeting Challenges, Creating OpportunitiesPageau P., Cormier Y., Mériaux A., Assayag E., Duchaine C.Source : in Health Research in Rural and Remote Canada : 3rd National Conference (3rd : October 24-26 2002 : Halifax, Nova Scotia), 2002Microflora of air and peat in peat moss processing plants in Eastern Canada. Health Research in Rural and Remote Canada : Meeting Challenges, Creating OpportunitiesPageau P., Mériaux A., Cormier Y., Goyer N., Duchaine C.Source : in Health Research in Rural and Remote Canada : 3rd National Conference (3rd : October 24-26, 2002 : Halifax, Nova Scotia), 2002Sensitization to airborne moulds in peat moss factory workersPageau P., Cormier Y., Mériaux A., Assayag E., Duchaine C.Source : American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, vol. 165, no 8, p. A461Microflora of air and peat in peat moss processing plants in Eastern CanadaPageau P., Mériaux A., Cormier Y., Goyer N., Duchaine C.Source : American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, vol. 165, no 8, p. A522Sensibilisation aux moisissures chez les travailleurs des tourbièresCormier Y., Pageau P., Mériaux A., Assayag E., Duchaine C.Source : 6e Congrès de pneumologie de langue française (6e : 26-29 janvier 2002 : Nice-Acropolis, France), 2002Évaluation d'échantillonneurs de poussières en milieu de travail : le cas des tourbièresGoyer N., Cloutier Y.Source : in Colloque international : Poussières, fumées et brouillards sur les lieux de travail: risques et prévention (11-13 juin 2001 : Toulouse, France), 2001Bioaerosols in peat moss processing plantsMériaux A., Pageau P., Cormier Y., Goyer N., Duchaine C.Source : Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, vol. 3, no 8, 2006, p. 408-417Sensitization to airborne molds and its health effects in peat moss processing plant workers Mériaux A., Cormier Y., Pageau P., Israël-Assayag E., Duchaine C.Source : Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, vol. 3, no 8, 2006, p. 442-447Biological activities of respirable dust from Eastern Canadian peat moss factoriesLétourneau V., Mériaux A., Goyer N., Chakir J., Cormier Y., Duchaine C.Source : Toxicology in Vitro, vol. 24, no 4, 2010, p. 1273-1278 Other Project(s) You May be Interested in Use of molecular tools for studying fungal diversity in aerosols Additional Information Type: Project Number: 0099-0710 Status: Completed Year of completion: 2004 Research Field: Chemical and Biological Hazard Prevention Team: Caroline Duchaine (Centre de recherche de l'IUCPQ)Yvon Cormier (Centre de recherche de l'IUCPQ)Anne Mériaux (Centre de recherche de l'IUCPQ)Nicole Goyer (IRSST)Yves Cloutier (IRSST)Louis Lazure (IRSST)Gaétane Racine-Bédard (Centre de recherche de l'IUCPQ)Serge Simard (Centre de recherche de l'IUCPQ)