HBM4EU chromates study - Overall results and recommendations for the biomonitoring of occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium

Santonen, Tiina; Porras, Simo P.; Bocca, Beatrice; Bousoumah, Radia; Duca, Radu Corneliu; Galea, Karen S.; Godderis, Lode; Göen, Thomas; Hardy, Emilie; Iavicoli, Ivo; Janasik, Beata; Jones, Kate; Leese, Elizabeth; Leso, Veruscka; Louro, Henriqueta; Majéry, Nicole; Ndaw, Sophie; Pinhal, Hermínia; Ruggieri, Flavia; Silva, Maria João; Nieuwenhuyse, An Van; Verdonck, Jelle; Viegas, Susana; Wąsowicz, Wojciech; Sepai, Ovnair; Scheepers, Paul T.J.; Aimonen, Kukka; Gautier, Antoine; Anzion, Rob; Burgart, Manuella; Castaño, Argelia; Cattaneo, Andrea; Cavallo, Domenico Maria; Palma, Giuseppe De; Denis, Flavien; Gambelunghe, Angela; Gomes, Bruno Costa; Hanser, Ogier; Helenius, Riikka; Ladeira, Carina; López, Marta Esteban; Lovreglio, Piero; Marsan, P.; Melczer, Mathieu; Nogueira, A. R. de A.; Pletea, Elisabeta; Poels, Katrien; Remes, Jouko; Ribeiro, Edna; Santos, Sílvia Reis; Schaefers, Francoise; Spankie, Sally; Spoek, Robert; Rizki, Mohamed; Rousset, Davy; Dael, Maurice van; Veijalainen, Henna

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.111984

Cited by 36 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Controls typically work in the same companies e.g., working in offices and performing administrative tasks on the same industrial site as the exposure workers, but have no known exposure to emissions from e-waste processing (within the e-waste industry). Exposure in office workers can still be elevated from a background in the general population due to undetected sources and routes of exposure dependent on e.g., open air connections between production and office workspace and some facilities used by both groups of workers [ 41 , 42 ]. Regarding the relevance of background exposures for metals, flame retardants and phthalates we will (to a limited degree) also include office workers from employers in industries other than e-waste processing (outside the e-waste industry) [ 42 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

HBM4EU Occupational Biomonitoring Study on e-Waste—Study Protocol

Scheepers

Duca

Galea

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Workers involved in the processing of electronic waste (e-waste) are potentially exposed to toxic chemicals. If exposure occurs, this may result in uptake and potential adverse health effects. Thus, exposure surveillance is an important requirement for health risk management and prevention of occupational disease. Human biomonitoring by measurement of specific biomarkers in body fluids is considered as an effective method of exposure surveillance. The aim of this study is to investigate the internal exposure of workers processing e-waste using a human biomonitoring approach, which will stimulate improved work practices and contribute to raising awareness of potential hazards. This exploratory study in occupational exposures in e-waste processing is part of the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU). Here we present a study protocol using a cross sectional survey design to study worker’s exposures and compare these to the exposure of subjects preferably employed in the same company but with no known exposure to industrial recycling of e-waste. The present study protocol will be applied in six to eight European countries to ensure standardised data collection. The target population size is 300 exposed and 150 controls. Biomarkers of exposure for the following chemicals will be used: chromium, cadmium and lead in blood and urine; brominated flame retardants and polychlorobiphenyls in blood; mercury, organophosphate flame retardants and phthalates in urine, and chromium, cadmium, lead and mercury in hair. In addition, the following effect biomarkers will be studied: micronuclei, epigenetic, oxidative stress, inflammatory markers and telomere length in blood and metabolomics in urine. Occupational hygiene sampling methods (airborne and settled dust, silicon wristbands and handwipes) and contextual information will be collected to facilitate the interpretation of the biomarker results and discuss exposure mitigating interventions to further reduce exposures if needed. This study protocol can be adapted to future European-wide occupational studies.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

HBM4EU Occupational Biomonitoring Study on e-Waste—Study Protocol

Scheepers

Duca

Galea

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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“…Recently, it was suggested that in addition to direct inhalation exposure also dermal exposure was associated with uptake of Cr(VI) ( 58 ). So indirect exposure caused by secondary contamination should also be avoided to prevent exposure by good personal hygiene, e.g., by providing protective gloves and overalls with long sleeves, allowing no consumption of food/beverages or smoking at the workplace and providing standard water sanitation and hygiene facilities and additional facilities for full body decontamination for emergencies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Case Report: Two Cases of Salivary Duct Carcinoma in Workers With a History of Chromate Exposure

Seçin¹,

Uijen²,

Driessen³

et al. 2021

Front. Med.

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Background: Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC), one subtype of the 22 different salivary gland cancers, is a rare malignancy. Risk factors for the development of salivary gland cancer and SDC are largely unknown, although pollution has been described as one of the risk factors. In other cancers, especially in lung cancer, the carcinogenicity of chromium VI [Cr(VI)] is well-known. Here we report on two SDC patients who were occupationally exposed to Cr(VI) and discuss a potential relation between their Cr(VI) exposure and the occurrence of SDC.Case Presentation: The work history of two SDC patients was analyzed for chemical exposures. Both patients had a history of Cr(VI) exposure, with maintenance of military equipment considered as the source for this exposure. Inhalation of Cr(VI) containing particles from the removal of old paint by mechanical abrasion was identified as a probable source of exposure for both patients, and one of these patients also applied new paint. Both patients reported not to have used any respiratory protection which may have resulted in substantial inhalation of Cr(VI)-containing chromates. Furthermore, in one patient inhalation of fumes from soldering may have resulted in relevant co-exposure.Conclusion: A causal relation between Cr(VI) exposure and SDC, a rare cancer, cannot be demonstrated on an individual basis but detection in a population-based study is also unlikely because of the extremely low prevalence. Nevertheless, the work history is considered a relevant risk factor in the onset of SDC as occupational exposures to Cr(VI) occurred in poorly ventilated working environment and without using appropriate respiratory protective equipment.

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“…Recruitment of the companies and workers; collection and analysis of biomonitoring samples (urine) and industrial hygiene samples (air and hand wipe); and collection of contextual information was conducted using two questionnaires [ 16 , 17 ], and are therefore only briefly described in the following sections.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Santonen et al provided details of the overall results and recommendations from the HBM4EU Chromates Study for the biomonitoring of occupational exposure to Cr(VI) [ 17 ]. It was concluded that U-Cr continued to be a valuable biomarker as a first approach for the assessment of total Cr internal exposure, and high correlations were observed between U-Cr levels and both air Cr(VI) and dermal total Cr exposure [ 17 ]. The authors reported that the highest internal exposures were observed in the use of Cr(VI) in bath plating.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The use of respiratory protection equipment (RPE) contributed to a reduction in U-Cr in paint applications. Not all chrome plating workers used RPE, or this use was restricted to specific tasks of short duration, such as collecting samples from Cr baths [ 17 ]. It was hypothesised that less frequent use of RPE among bath platers might explain the higher internal exposure of this sub-category when compared to, e.g., welders, which showed very similar (or even slightly higher) inhalable air levels of Cr(VI) [ 17 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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HBM4EU Chromates Study: Determinants of Exposure to Hexavalent Chromium in Plating, Welding and Other Occupational Settings

Viegas

Martins

Bocca

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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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.

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HBM4EU chromates study - Overall results and recommendations for the biomonitoring of occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium

Cited by 36 publications

References 29 publications

HBM4EU Occupational Biomonitoring Study on e-Waste—Study Protocol

HBM4EU Occupational Biomonitoring Study on e-Waste—Study Protocol

Case Report: Two Cases of Salivary Duct Carcinoma in Workers With a History of Chromate Exposure

HBM4EU Chromates Study: Determinants of Exposure to Hexavalent Chromium in Plating, Welding and Other Occupational Settings

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