Respiratory health among professionals exposed to extreme SO2 levels from a volcanic eruption

OBJECTIVE: The Holuhraun eruption of fall and winter 2014–15 produced large amounts of sulfur dioxide (SO_2). The aim of this study was to determine if exposure to extreme SO_2 levels affected the health of individuals working at the eruption site. METHODS: During January‒March 2015, earth scientists, technicians, and law enforcement personnel who were about to work at the eruption site were invited to a respiratory health examination. Symptom reports and lung function measures, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV_1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were collected before and after an eruption site visit. Those with previous exposure (N=27) reported symptoms retrospectively. RESULTS: Altogether, 41 individuals were invited to participate, 32 underwent a clinical examination at a hospital respiratory health clinic (baseline); 27 reported symptoms during earlier visits to the eruption site (retrospective symptom reports), 17 were re-examined 1–6 days after visiting the eruption site (follow-up). All participants’ lung function was within normal range both before and after exposure. At baseline, average FEV_1 was 107.4% of predicted versus 106.6 at follow-up (P =0.82); average FVC was 107.0% of predicted at baseline versus 107.4% at follow-up (P=0.35). Eye and nasal irritation were more frequently reported during eruption site exposure by 24% versus 6% (P =0.37) for both. CONCLUSION: Although “healthy-worker” effects cannot be excluded, our data indicate that SO_2 exposure was associated with relatively mild and transient respiratory symptoms with no clinical signs of airway inflammation or airway obstruction.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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