Occupational exposure to potentially toxic elements in the foundry industry: an integrated environmental and biological monitoring

Author(s)

Freire, Bruna Moreira ^[1] ; Gonzaga, Roberta Granja ^[2] ; Pedron, Tatiana ^[1] ; Monteiro, Lucilena Rebelo ^[3] ; Lange, Camila Neves ^[1] ; Pedreira Filho, Walter dos Reis ^[2] ; Batista, Bruno Lemos ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed ABC, Ctr Ciencias Nat & Humanas, Santo Andre, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fundacao Jorge Duprat Figueiredo Seguranca & Med, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Comissao Nacl Energia Nucl, Ipen, CNEN, SP, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Environmental Science and Pollution Research; v. 28, n. 26, SI, p. 34630-34641, JUL 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Industrial foundry processes release metal dust and fumes into the environment. Our study evaluated the exposure to potentially toxic elements in foundry workers. The assessed samples consisted of air particulate matter (n = 42), urine (n = 194), and blood (n = 167). Six workers had high concentrations of arsenic (As) in wine and one of them had a high cadmium (Cd) content in blood, according to Biological Exposure Index from the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. The work task significantly influenced the concentrations of cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) in air, barium (Ba) in urine, and lead (Pb) and cesium (Cs) in blood, while the employment years affected concentrations of Mn, tin (Sn), and uranium (U) in urine and iodine (I) in blood. Arsenic, Pb, Co, and Cd in particulate matter and biological matrices presented significant covariation by working activity, supporting the occupational exposure. In this study, subjects were occupationally exposed to multiple potentially toxic elements. Carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks were associated with As, Co, Ni, and Mn exposure. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/19924-6 - In vitro bioaccessibility assessment and in vivo bioavailability of arsenic ingested through rice commonly consumed by Brazilians
• Grantee: Tatiana Pedron
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 17/20914-8 - Method validation for determination of trace elements in urine for occupational evaluation of foundry workers
• Grantee: Bruna Moreira Freire
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 20/00284-2 - Evaluation of the use of selenium nanoparticles for biofortification of rice grains
• Grantee: Bruna Moreira Freire
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 16/10060-9 - Multi-user equipment (MUE) approved in Grant FAPESP project 2014/05151-0: inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer hyphenated to an high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-ICP-MS)
• Grantee: Bruno Lemos Batista
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• FAPESP's process: 14/05151-0 - Arsenic and rice: monitoring and (bio)remediation studies for food safety
• Grantee: Bruno Lemos Batista
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants