Effect of Phosphate Exposure on Workers Respiratory and Oral Health in Phosphate Mine at Safaga

Mining continues to be a dangerous activity, whether large-scale industrial mining or small-scale artisanal mining. Not only are there accidents, but exposure to dust and toxins, along with stress from the working environment or managerial pressures, give rise to a range of diseases that affect miners. Beneficiation is the process of removing the unnecessary minerals, which is used to increase the grade of mining product (concentrate). Phosphate ores can be beneficiated using one or a combination of different methods. The most common ones are: flotation, crushing, desliming, separation, grinding and washing thus keeping workers in Phosphate mines employ exposed to respirable dust pollution and to high silica dust levels presented in silicosis in many job areas, Silicosis is the most common occupational lung disease in Egypt where its prevalence rate ranges from 18.5 % to 45.8% among workers exposed to free crystalline silica dust. Despite its high prevalence, there is a lack of enforcement of exposure limits, availability and use of personal protective equipment, and occupational health education programs .

In Egyptian phosphate miners' study (2011), The study involved of three groups: 50 silica-exposed workers with radiological evidence of silicosis, 50 silica-exposed workers without evidence of silicosis, and 50 healthy unexposed subjects. , There were significant differences between pulmonary function parameters, values of C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, complement component C3, IgA, IgG, and IgM in exposed groups with and without silicosis, and healthy unexposed control subjects (p<.001).

Exposure to acid fumes in the phosphate mining was significantly associated with dental erosion and deteriorated oral health status, As working in phosphate mines had 8 and 28 times the risk for developing respectively oral lesions and teeth abrasions. This supported by Tunisian 2017 on 37 workers& 37 controls, found that frequencies of fluorosis, teeth abrasion, and oral lesions were significantly higher among the exposed group.