Chronic exposure to zinc of furnace operators in a brass foundry

Abstract

). Brit. J. industr. Med., 26,[126][127][128][129][130][131][132][133][134]. Chronic exposure to zinc of furnace operators in a brass foundry. Twelve furnace operators with chronic exposure to zinc oxide fumes in a brass foundry and 10 normal non-exposed control subjects were studied. Simultaneous determinations of zinc concentrations in the plasma, blood corpuscles, whole blood, and urine were made for each worker and control subject, and in the basal fasting gastric juice and in the gastric secretion half an hour and one hour after gastric stimulation by alcohol in eight workers and seven control subjects.The workers showed a statistically significant increase of zinc concentration in the blood corpuscles, whole blood, and basal fasting gastric juice compared with the control subjects. Urinary zinc excretion was slightly increased in the exposed workers. The increase in the plasma zinc in the workers was not statistically significant.Stomach aspiration after alcohol showed a depression of the mean zinc concentration in the gastric secretion after half an hour with a subsequent increase to approximately the fasting level after one hour in both the normal subjects and the workers. Mean zinc concentrations in the gastric juice half an hour and one hour after stomach stimulation were higher in the workers, but the increase was not statistically significant.It is suggested that the zinc absorbed by these workers is rapidly eliminated from the plasma to be excreted through the gastro-intestinal and urinary tracts; excess zinc is stored in the blood corpuscles. The increased zinc concentration in the gastric secretion of these workers might account, in part, for the high incidence of gastric complaints among them.

Toxicological Profile for Zinc

“…However, there were excess tobacco use and alcohol consumption by workers and possible concurrent exposure to other chemicals (chloride, sulfide), which confound the study results. No anemia was detected among 12 workers exposed for 4-21 years to zinc oxide fumes in the production of brass alloys (Hamdi 1969). These workers may have also been exposed to magnesium, copper, and aluminum.…”

“…In contrast, 24 workers with 2-35.5 years of exposure to ≤130 mg zinc/m 3 as metallic zinc dust, zinc sulfide dust, zinc oxide, or lithophone dust reported no nausea or vomiting and only occasional mild abdominal discomfort that could not be attributed with certainty to zinc exposure (Batchelor et al 1926). A study examining the acidity of the stomach contents after stimulation in controls and workers employed in the production of brass alloys showed that stomach acidity was similar in the two groups prior to stimulation but remained elevated for longer periods after stimulation in the exposed workers (Hamdi 1969). This was proposed to account for…”

“…Routine blood chemistries and examinations revealed no liver disease among 12 workers with 4-21 years of exposure to zinc oxide fumes in the production of brass alloys (Hamdi 1969).…”

Metal fumes in foundries.

“…It has also been suggested that the increased zinc concentration in the gastric secretion of furnace operators in brass foundries might account, in part, for the gastric complaints among them (11). High blood lead concentrations have also been reported among brass founders (18).…”

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“…The foundation-wall of led to ill health and an early death for all of them (Lauer 1955;Hamdi 1969) and may also have led to reproductive problems as possibly experienced by David and Archibald (Cullen et al 1984). However, given a lack of male heirs to continue the family business, he may have sold up, retired and moved out of town.…”