HBM4EU chromates study - Usefulness of measurement of blood chromium levels in the assessment of occupational Cr(VI) exposure

Occupational exposures to hexavalent Chromium (Cr(VI)) can occur in welding, hot working stainless steel processing, chrome plating, spray painting and coating activities. Recently, within the human biomonitoring for Europe initiative (HBM4EU), a study was performed to assess the suitability of different biomarkers to assess the exposure to Cr(VI) in various job tasks. Blood-based biomarkers may prove useful when more specific infor-mation on systemic and intracellular bioavailability is necessary. To this aim, concentrations of Cr in red blood cells (RBC-Cr) and in plasma (P–Cr) were analyzed in 345 Cr(VI) exposed workers and 175 controls to understand how these biomarkers may be affected by variable levels of exposure and job procedures. Compared to controls, significantly higher RBC-Cr levels were observed in bath plating and paint application workers, but not in welders, while all the 3 groups had significantly greater P–Cr concentrations. RBC-Cr and P–Cr in chrome platers showed a high correlation with Cr(VI) in inhalable dust, outside respiratory protective equipment (RPE), while such correlation could not be determined in welders. In platers, the use of RPE had a significant impact on the relationship between blood biomarkers and Cr(VI) in inhalable and respirable dust. Low correlations between P–Cr and RBC-Cr may reflect a difference in kinetics. This study showed that Cr-blood-based biomarkers can provide information on how workplace exposure translates into systemic availability of Cr(III) (extracellular, P–Cr) and Cr(VI) (intracellular, RBC-Cr). Further studies are needed to fully appreciate their use in an occupational health and safety context.

Highlights: Suitability of blood biomarkers was evaluated to assess occupational Cr(VI)exposure; Bath platers and painters had higher Red Blood Cells-Cr levels compared to controls; Bath platers, painters and welders had higher plasma-Cr levels compared to controls; Red Blood Cells- and Plasma-Cr were highly correlated with inhalable Cr(VI) in platers; Blood-Cr biomarkers can provide information on systemic and intracellular availability.

Description

HBM4EU chromates study team: Kukka Aimonen8, Guillaume Antoine1, Rob Anzion9, Manuella Burgart1, Andrea Cattaneo11, Domenico M. Cavallo11, Alcina Costa12, Giuseppe De Palma13, Flavien Denis1, Giovanni Forte3, Angela Gambelunghe14, Ogier Hanser1, Carina Ladeira15, Elisabeth Leese16, Risto Lehtinen8, Henriqueta Louro7 Piero Lovreglio17, Nicole Majery18, Philippe Marsan1, Mathieu Melczer1, Armandida Miranda12, Edna Ribeiro15, Françoise Schaefers4, Marta Senofonte3, Filomena Seuanes12, Maurice van Dael9, Riitta Velin8 1French National Research and Safety Institute, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France 2Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy 3 Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy 4Department of Health Protection, Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS), Dudelange, Luxembourg 5Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000, Leuven, Belgium 6Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland 7National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Department of Human Genetics and Environmental Health Lisbon, Portugal 8Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland 9Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands 10NOVA NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1600–560 Lisbon, Portugal; Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), 1169–056 Lisbon, Portugal. 11Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Como, Italy 12National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Department of Health Promotion, Lisbon, Portugal 13Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy 14Departement of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy 15H&TRC- Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa; Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), 1169–056 Lisbon, Portugal 16Health and Safety Executive, Buxton, SK17 9JN, United Kingdom 17Interdisciplinary Departement of Medecine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy 18Service de Santé Au Travail Multisectoriel (STM), Luxembourg

Keywords

Environmental Genotoxicity Red Blood Cells Chromium Hexavalent Chromium Plasma Chromium Biological Monitoring Workplace Electroplating Welding Human Biomonitoring Genotoxicidade Ambiental