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Objectives This study aimed to estimate the risk of lymphoma and its major subtypes in relation to occupational exposure to specific organic dusts. Methods We explored the association in 1853 cases and 1997 controls who participated in the EpiLymph case-control study, conducted in six European countries in 1998-2004. Based on expert assessment of lifetime occupational exposures, we calculated the risk of the major lymphoma subtypes associated with exposure to six specific organic dusts, namely, flour, hardwood, softwood, natural textile, synthetic textile, and leather, and two generic (any types) groups: wood and textile dusts. Risk was predicted with unconditional regression modeling, adjusted by age, gender, study center, and education. Results We observed a 2.1-fold increase in risk of follicular lymphoma associated with ever exposure to leather dust [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-4.20]. After excluding subjects who ever worked in a farm or had ever been exposed to solvents, risk of B-cell lymphoma was elevated in relation to ever exposure to leather dust [odd ratio (OR) 2.2, 95% CI 1.00-4.78], but it was not supported by increasing trends with the exposure metrics. Risk of Hodgkin lymphoma was elevated (OR 2.0, 95% CI 0.95-4.30) for exposure to textile dust, with consistent upward trends by cumulative exposure and three independent exposure metrics combined (P=0.023, and P=0.0068, respectively). Conclusions Future, larger studies might provide further insights into the nature of the association we observed between exposure to textile dust and risk of Hodgkin lymphoma.

Background Leather dust is an established carcinogen of the sinonasal cavities; however, evidence is lacking regarding its association with other head and neck cancers (HNC). To date, few studies have been conducted on the association between occupational leather dust exposure and the risk of oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal cancers. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between the risk of HNC and occupational exposure to leather dust. Methods Lifestyle habits and occupational history were collected for 2161 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx, and 3555 controls, using a standardized questionnaire. Occupational exposure to leather dust was assessed using a job-exposure matrix. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for HNC globally and by subsite were estimated using multivariate unconditional, and polytomous logistic regressions, respectively. Results Cumulative lifetime exposure to leather dust < 6 mg/m 3 -years was associated with an increased risk of laryngeal cancer (OR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.07–4.76); higher levels were not related to elevated risks of HNC. Some tasks performed and the use of some glues were associated with elevated, although non-significant, risks of HNC. No dose-response relationships were observed. Conclusion Our study did not provide enough evidence for an increased risk of HNC related to occupational exposure to leather dust. Further studies are needed to understand the risks of specific tasks in the leather industry.

Background and aims Sinonasal cancers (SNCs) are rare neoplasms, accounting for about 3 % of head and neck cancers, with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (ADC) as the most common subtypes. ADCs present strong associations with occupational wood dust exposure. Preventive measures have progressively reduced wood dust concentrations in workplaces but no study has evaluated the effectiveness of such interventions. Few studies indicate associations between ADC and exposure to solvents, which is common in the shoe industry, but this hypothesis still needs confirmation. Methods In a case-case study, we contrasted 32 ADCs against 21 Non-Adenocarcinoma Epithelial Tumors (NAETs) – all recruited from the same clinical setting (Padua’s University Hospital; period 2004–2015) – using questionnaires and clinical records to collect information on potential predictors. Non-occupational factors were age, sex, smoking, allergy and chronic sinusitis. Occupational factors were intensity and frequency of wood dust exposure, protection from wood dust, type of wood (in woodworking); frequency of exposure to leather dust or mastic/solvent (in shoemaking). Odds-ratio (OR), 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) and two-tail p-values were obtained through stepwise backward logistic regression for each industry, always using as reference patients never employed in either trade and adjusting for non-occupational risk factors. Results Adjusted OR was 22.5 (95 % CI = 3.50–144; p  = 0.001) and 9.37 (95 % CI = 1.29–67.6; p  = 0.026), respectively, in patients with low or high degree of protection against wood dust. In the shoe industry, adjusted OR was 1 and 18.8 (95 % CI = 1.29–174; p  = 0.030), respectively, in patients with low or high exposure to only mastic/solvent; and 1 and 22.5 (95 % CI = 2.07–244; p  = 0.011), respectively, in patients with low or high exposure to only leather dust. Discussion and conclusions The questionnaire used was able to estimate with simple algorithms past exposures in wood and footwear industries. The case-case design considerably increased the validity of this small study. Results in this study were always consistent with the extant literature; this could support reliability of novel findings. In woodworking, respiratory protective equipment and local exhaust ventilation reduced the risk of occupational SNC; in footwear manufacture, where preventive interventions were seldom adopted, SNC risk was significantly greater for high exposure from mastic/solvent and leather dust.

Head and neck cancers account for an estimated 549,000 global cancer diagnoses each year. While tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and HPV16 infection are considered to be the major risk factors for this disease, occupational risk factors, including exposure to asbestos, have also been described, although dust exposures other than asbestos have been historically understudied. We have investigated the relationship between occupational exposures to five types of dusts, including sawdust, concrete dust, leather dust, metal dust, and chimney soot, and head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) in the greater Boston area. We report findings from a population‐based case–control study involving 951 incident HNSCC cases and 1193 controls, frequency matched on age (±3 years), sex, and town/neighborhood of residence. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between occupational exposure to each type of dust and HNSCC, overall and by primary tumor site. After adjusting for age, sex, race, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, and HPV16 serology, laryngeal carcinoma risk increased for each decade of occupational exposure to sawdust (OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.0, 1.3) and metal dust (OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.0, 1.4); and HNSCC risk increased for each decade of occupational leather dust exposure (OR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2, 1.9). We have provided evidence for an association between occupational sawdust and metal dust and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and leather dust and HNSCC, with increasing risk with longer duration at the exposed occupation. This study adds to a sparse body of literature on occupational dust exposure and head and neck cancer, providing dose–response evidence for associations with sawdust, metal dust, and leather dust. These findings may have implications on occupational risk assessment, formulation of workplace policy, and safety engineering.

Developing low cost composite materials for use in footwear, leather goods, household interiors, etc. from leather wastes is an efficient way of waste utilisation and environmental pollution prevention. Keeping this objective in view, a composite material, in board form, was developed using leather buffing dust (BD), a collagenous solid waste from the leather industry. Leather boards were prepared using natural rubber latex (NRL) as the binder. Different concentrations of NRL were used to find out the optimum concentration which gave better mechanical properties. The prepared leather boards were characterised using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo gravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Leather boards prepared using 400 g of BD: 450 mL of NRL possessed better mechanical properties viz. tensile strength, elongation at break (%), flexural strength, tearing strength, etc.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the cancer risk of shoe manufacturing workers and evaluate whether the risk was associated with exposure to leather dust and solvents. METHODS: Data from two historical cohort studies of shoe workers were expanded and analysed in parallel. A total of 4215 shoemakers from England contributing 103 726 person-years at risk and 2008 shoemakers from Florence, Italy, contributing 54,395 person-years at risk were included in the analysis. Exposure to leather dusts and solvents from glues was evaluated on the basis of job title information. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated as ratios of observed deaths (Obs) over expected derived from national mortalities. RESULTS: Overall mortality was lower than expected in both cohorts (English cohort: Obs 3314, SMR 81, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 78-84; Florence cohort: Obs 333, SMR 87, 95% CI 78-97). An increased risk of nasal cancer was found (English cohort: Obs 12, SMR 741; Florence cohort: Obs 1, SMR 909). 10 of the 13 cases occurred among English workers employed in the manufacture of welted boots (SMR 926, 95% CI 444-1703), a sector of the industry thought to have had the highest exposure to leather dust. Mortality from leukaemia was not increased in the English cohort (Obs 16, SMR 89), but was increased in the Florence cohort (Obs 8, SMR 214, 95% CI 92-421); and the highest risk was found among shoe workers in Florence who were first exposed between 1950 and 1959 when exposure to benzene was substantial (Obs 3, SMR 536, 95% CI 111-1566). Some evidence for an excess risk of stomach, bladder, and kidney cancer, as well as multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was also found in the Florence cohort only among workers employed in jobs with the highest exposure to solvents. CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm the associations between exposure to leather dust and nasal cancer and between exposure to benzene and leukaemia in the shoe manufacturing industry and suggest that the risk of other cancers may be increased among workers exposed to solvents or glues.

This is the first report on the use of waste chrome-tanned Indian leather buffing dust for plasticizing atactic polystyrene (PS). There is no effective re-use of waste leather buffing dust reported till today. This waste material, after preliminary characterization, has been dispersed in solvated polystyrene. Resultant composites prepared therefrom via solution cast method exhibit a drastic drop in surface hardness up to certain modifier concentration, beyond which it increases. Addition of surfactants during dispersion of the buffing dust at the optimum level further reduces surface hardness. Para-toluene sulphonic acid (PTSA) has been found to be a better compatibilizer than more conventional sodium lauryl sulphate (LS) in this system. The compatibilized composites show substantial “yield behaviour” when stretched and the breaking strain has been improved drastically from 0.2% in pure polystyrene to 25% in PTSA compatibilized system without any loss in strength. Accordingly, the breaking energy has been increased to much greater than that of the virgin polymer. Effective plasticization of the composites has lowered the glass transition temperature (Tg); PTSA containing composite has shown the minimum value, possibly due to generation of more free volume around the rigid polystyrene molecules on account of its effective adsorption over finer dust particles. Accelerated thermal degradation study shows greater thermal stability of the composites as compared to virgin polymer and this possibly resulted due to the presence of chromium content in the waste, which acts as heat sinks.

OBJECTIVE--To study the effect on the incidence of cancer of exposure to chemicals handled in the leather tanning industry. MATERIALS AND METHODS--A case-control study was performed within a cohort of 2487 workers employed for at least six months during the period 1900-89 in three Swedish leather tanneries. 68 cancer cases (lung, stomach, bladder, kidney, nasal, and pancreatic cancers and soft tissue sarcomas) and 178 matched controls were studied. Effects of chemical exposures on cancer incidence, adjusted for age at risk, sex, and plant were estimated with a conditional logistic regression model. RESULTS--A significant association was found between exposure to leather dust and pancreatic cancer (odds ratio (OR) 7.19, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.44 to 35-89). An association was indicated between leather dust from vegetable tanning and lung cancer. After adjustment for smoking habits a tentative association between organic solvents and lung cancer lost its significance. No association was found between exposure to chlorophenols and soft tissue sarcomas. CONCLUSIONS--The significant association between leather tanning and soft tissue sarcomas that was found in our previous cohort analysis could not be explained by exposure to chlorophenols. On the other hand a significant association was found between exposure to leather dust and pancreatic cancer, and exposure to leather dust from vegetable tanning was often present in cases with lung cancer. Due to the small numbers of cases, the results can, however, only lead to tentative conclusions.

Air pollution, resulting from buffing dust waste produced by local leather tanning industry, has become a critical issue for the environment and public health. To promote a circular economy through resource recovery, this work developed a thermal insulation composite using buffing dust-laden tanning waste mixed with polystyrene and a blowing agent. To prepare the samples from leather tanning waste, different proportions of buffing dust (5–20% (w/w)) were blended with polystyrene in the presence of 3% (w/w) blowing agent. The composite material was processed in double-barreled with co-twin extruder to expose it to pressure and then heated at 200 °C. Different physico-chemical properties of composite samples were determined. The prepared composite materials had a good thermal conductivity (0.033–0.029 W/m-K), strong compression (5.21–6.25 ton), density (38–20 kg/m3), and water absorption (5–7.5%), as compared to conventional constructional insulation panels. The thermal conductivity of polystyrene was reduced to 10% after the addition of buffing dust (20% w/w). The presence of a blowing agent in the composite material enhanced its volume without compromising its physico-chemical properties. Thermo-gravimetric analysis showed that the thermal stability of the composite material ranged from 200–412 °C. FTIR analysis indicated that the composite had carbonyl and amino functional groups. The SEM images revealed the formation of voids with a decreasing homogeneity of the composite after the addition of the buffing dust waste. The EDX analysis revealed that the composite also had 62% of C and a tiny amount of Cr. This implies that the composite panels can be used for installation in buildings as thermal insulators in the construction sector. Overall, this work not only resolved the energy consumption problems during manufacturing, but it also brought positive impacts on the environment by recycling hazardous buffing dust and then reusing it as a thermal insulation material. Not only does this reduce the air pollution that results from the buffing dust waste, but this also promotes resource recovery in the framework of a circular economy.

Large amounts of solid wastes are produced in manufacturing of leather and leather products. Nearly 80–85% of solid wastes is generated in leather production whereas 20–30% of leather is ended up as wastes from leather goods and footwear industries which poses significant concern regarding environmental pollution. An attempt was made to produce environmentally friendly bio-composite materials with higher mechanical characteristics by utilizing solid wastes released from leather industries. In this study, leather fibers (LF) from shaving dust and leather cutting scrap were used with plant fibers such as banana (Musa acuminata), pineapple (Ananas comosus), betel nut (Areca catechu), and moringa (Moringa oleifera) for making composite sheets reinforced with natural rubber latex (NRL). New composite materials were characterized by using thermogravimetric (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques which confirmed the presence of desired physical and chemical properties in them. FTIR analysis showed characteristics absorption resonances at 3287, 2919, and 2855 cm−1 which were not apparent in starting single fibers. TGA data indicated that banana fiber (BF) composite is thermally more stable than others. The tensile strengths of pineapple fiber (PF) composite and BF sheet were 3.89 and 3.59 Mpa, respectively, which were higher than those observed in control sheet (CS). New composite sheets possess significant properties which make them suitable to be used as valuable raw materials for manufacturing of various footwear and leather goods. This interesting approach will reduce environmental pollution and ensure the sustainability of the respective ecosystem.