Grain dust

Category

Plant-Derived Allergens

Description

Includes oat, wheat, and barley; [ACGIH]

Sources/Uses

Occupational asthma reported in grain elevator workers and a baker; [Malo]

Comments

Grain dust can cause inhalation fever, asthma, chronic bronchitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and COPD; [Rom, Chapters 24, 25, 26, 31, and 36] Grain dust exposure >5 mg/m3 causes acute lung function effects. [Reference #1] Grains can cause contact urticaria in agricultural workers. [Reference #2] See "Triticale allergy in a farmer." Triticale is a hybrid of rye and wheat. [PMID 26814013] See "Exposure to field vs. storage wheat dust: different consequences on respiratory symptoms and immune response among grain workers." [PMID 29804141]

Reference Link #1

Biomedical References

Insufficient data

4 mg/m3

10 mg/m3

Reference Link #2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent:

• Asthma, occupational
• Contact urticaria
• Grain fever
• Inhalation fever
• Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Farming (Respiratory Hazards)