Author(s):
Viegas, Susana ; Martins, Carla ; Bocca, Beatrice ; Bousoumah, Radia ; Duca, Radu Corneliu ; Galea, Karen S. ; Godderis, Lode ; Iavicoli, Ivo ; Janasik, Beata ; Jones, Kate ; Leese, Elizabeth ; Leso, Veruscka ; Ndaw, Sophie ; van Nieuwenhuyse, An ; Poels, Katrien ; Porras, Simo P. ; Ruggieri, Flavia ; Silva, Maria João ; Verdonck, Jelle ; Wasowicz, Wojciech ; Scheepers, Paul T.J. ; Santonen, Tiina
Date: 2022
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10362/137371
Origin: Repositório Institucional da UNL
Subject(s): Air monitoring; Biomonitoring; Dermal exposure; Exposure determinants; Hexavalent chromium; Occupational hygiene; Risk management measures; Pollution; Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health; Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis; SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Description
Funding Information: Funding: This research was conducted under the HBM4EU project and was funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 733032 and received co-funding from the author’s organizations and/or Ministries. Luxembourg entered the study at a later stage and thus financed the study at its own means. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Work-related exposures in industrial processing of chromate (chrome plating, surface treatment and welding) raise concern regarding the health risk of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). In this study, performed under the HBM4EU project, we focused on better understanding the determinants of exposure and recognising how risk management measures (RMMs) contribute to a reduction in exposure. HBM and occupational hygiene data were collected from 399 workers and 203 controls recruited in nine European countries. Urinary total chromium (U-Cr), personal inhalable and respirable dust of Cr and Cr(VI) and Cr from hand wipes were collected. Data on the RMMs were collected by questionnaires. We studied the association between different exposure parameters and the use of RMMs. The relationship between exposure by inhalation and U-Cr in different worker groups was analysed using regression analysis and found a strong association. Automatisation of Cr electroplating dipping explained lower exposure levels in platers. The use of personal protective equipment resulted in lower U-Cr levels in welding, bath plating and painting. An effect of wearing gloves was observed in machining. An effect of local exhaust ventilation and training was observed in welding. Regression analyses showed that in platers, exposure to air level of 5 µg/m3 corresponds to U-Cr level of 7 µg/g creatinine. In welders, the same inhalation exposure resulted in lower U-Cr levels reflecting toxicokinetic differences of different chromium species.
