RESUMO
The article covers data on levels of oxidative and antioxidant processes under influence of low fibrogenous dust in workers at steel mills. Reliable differences were seen between groups of workers with different dust load, dust particles size in blood, acitvity level of lipid peroxidation products occurrence--that worsens inflammatory reaction and dysfunction of lower respiratory tract. Findings are that occupations--preparation of steelpouring mixtures, converter melters, batchers--with highest silicon content of blood, if compared to other occupations and to the reference group (1.6 and 2.9 times respectively), demonstrated more intense change in parameters of oxidation processes activation (increased level of lipid hydroperoxide and malonic dialdehyde) with depressed antioxidant defense (lower level of general antioxidant defense).