Airborne Dust Monitoring during Grain Handling

This paper presents a pilot study that purposed to investigate grain dusty exposure related to the health hazard of farmers during grain handling . The concentrations of airborne grain dust exposed were measured by a personal particulate monitor with five farmers operating various tasks of grain handling at different farms. Endotoxins and microorganisms contained in the dust were analyzed from the personal sampling in the breathing zone. The results show that the farmers were exposed to higher concentrations of the airborne grain dusts when they were cleaning the harvester, shoving or sweeping grains for the unloading. Also, all the contents of endotoxins exceeded an exposure risk limit for inflammation of respiratory tract. In order to reduce the health risk in grain handling, some protective approaches are recommended.