Lung cancer mortality in the German chromate industry, 1958 to 1998

Chromium Exposure and Hygienic Behaviors in Printing Workers in Southern Thailand

Objectives. The main objective of this study was to assess the chromium exposure levels in printing workers. The study evaluated the airborne, serum, and urinary chromium levels and determines any correlation between level of chromium in specimen and airborne chromium levels. Material and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 75 exposed and 75 matched nonexposed subjects. Air breathing zone was measured by furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Serum and urine samples were collected to determine chromium levels by graphite furnaces atomic absorption spectrometer chromium analyzer. Results and Discussion. The printing workers' urinary chromium levels (6.86 ± 1.93 μg/g creatinine) and serum chromium levels (1.24 ± 1.13 μg/L) were significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001). Work position, duration of work, personal protective equipment (PPE), and personal hygiene were significantly associated with urinary chromium level and serum chromium levels (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001). This study found a correlation between airborne chromium levels and urinary chromium levels (r = 0.247, p = 0.032). A multiple regression model was constructed. Significant predictors of urinary and serum chromium levels were shown in this study. Conclusion. Improvements in working conditions, occupational health training, and PPE use are recommended to reduce chromium exposure.

Lung cancer and exposure to metals: the epidemiological evidence

Exposure to metallic compounds is ubiquitous, with its widespread use in industry and its presence, mostly in trace amounts, in the environment. This paper reviews the epidemiologic evidence of the relation between lung cancer and exposure to metallic compounds by building on and updating the corresponding International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) assessments. Given that most of the well-identified human populations with given metal exposure are in occupational settings, this review is mostly based on results in occupational epidemiology. The epidemiological evidence is shortly reviewed for accepted carcinogens: chromium, nickel, beryllium, cadmium, arsenic, and silicon, highlighting what is still unclear. We then review in more detail metals for which the evidence is less clear: lead, titanium, iron, and cobalt. There is scarce evidence for the human carcinogenicity of titanium. Exposure to titanium dioxide is associated with lung cancer excesses in one large study, but this excess may be due to confounders. The evidence for lead is contradictory. The lung cancer risk is presented as a function of a post hoc exposure ranking but no dose-response relationship is found. A weak but consistent lung cancer excess in many populations exposed to iron oxides but it is not possible to state on causality. Finally the evidence in the hard metal industry is presented, which suggests a possible carcinogenic effect of cobalt in presence of tungsten carbide. A short discussion presents the limitations of epidemiology in assessing the carcinogenicity of metals.