Occupational exposure to arsenic

This research is an outgrowth of an earlier project which sought to characterize the mechanism of arsenic metabolism in a population currently drinking arsenic-contaminated water in Taiwan. There were three parts to the study, a cohort study, a case control study for skin cancer, and a study of intra-individual variability associated with chronic arsenic exposure. The latter three research projects are complete and being submitted for publication. The results of this research are highly relevant since they indicate that alterations in methylation capacity may affect arsenic carcinogenesis. 

Relationship Between Personal, Outdoor and Indoor Air Concentrations (RIOPA) The overall goal of the national multicenter (Elizabeth, NJ, Houston, TX, and Los Angeles County, CA) RIOPA study is to establish a scientific foundation for effective, timely, public health intervention strategies. Outdoor, indoor, and personal exposures of adults and children to PM are measured and evaluated by mass, elemental, chemical, and source apportionment analyses in the other research programs. Non-smoking asthmatic and non-asthmatic adults and their children are included. Monitoring occurs 

This 10-year longitudinal study is focused on the potential associations between ambient air pollution and respiratory health in children. The objectives are to document the respiratory growth of study participants, to assess whether ambient pollutants play a role in respiratory health, and to identify which pollutants are responsible for any observed effects. Ambient air quality is being monitored in each of twelve communities by centrally located regional stations, CA, which also collect standard meteorological data. Gaseous pollutants are monitored continuously, while ambient particle concentration and size are determined by a number of approaches. Additional exposure assessment occurs because of the establishment of the Particle Center, including more extensive particle size number, surface area, and volume distribution measurements. 

Regional Human Exposure Modeling of Benzene in the California South Coast Air Basin 

Particulate matter (PM) is associated with adverse human respiratory health effects. Although much research has focused on the fine particle component (PM2.5), recent results from the USC Children s Health Study suggest that the coarse fraction may also affect respiratory health in children. Specific components of the coarse fraction responsible for these effects have not been identified, but ambient endotoxin is a strong candidate, based on toxicologic and epidemiologic studies. This study is collecting 

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This chapter presents specific information with regard to the effects of environmental and occupational exposure to arsenic on inflammatory processes, the immune system, and host defense. While the focus is on the in vivo and in vitro effects of arsenic on host immune responses (e.g., immunotoxicity and hypersensitivity) and their relationship to clinically observed manifestations of arsenic toxicity (e.g., inflammation and skin cancer), information on the potential mechanisms through which arsenic may exert its biological effects is also provided. 

Acute inhalation exposures have resulted in irritation of the upper respiratory tract, even leading to nasal perforations. Occupational exposure to arsenic compounds results in hyperpigmentation of the skin and hyperkeratoses of palmar and plantar surfaces, as well as dermatitis of both primary irritation and sensitization types. Impairment of peripheral circulation and Raynaud phenomenon have been reported with long-term exposure. ... 

Beckett WS, Moore JL, Keogh JP, et al Acute encephalopathy due to occupational exposure to arsenic. British Journal of Industrial Medicine 43 66-67, 1986 Calderon J, Navarro ME, Jimenz-Capdeville ME, et al Exposure to arsenic and neuropsychological development in Mexican children. Environ Res 85 69-76, 2001 DePalma AE Arsine intoxication in a chemical plant. J Occup Med 11 582-587,1969 Eagle H, Magnuson HJ The systemic treatment of 227 cases of arsenic poisoning (encephalitis, dermatitis, blood dyscrasias, jaundice, fever) with 2,3-dimercapto-propanol (BAL). American Journal of Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Venereal Diseases 30 420-441, 1946... 

Dang TMN, Tran QT and Vu KV (1999) Determination of arsenic in urine by atomic absorption spectrophotometry for biological monitoring of occupational exposure to arsenic. Toxicol Lett 108 179-183. 

Arbouine, M.W., and Wilson, K.H. (1992). The effect of seafood consumption on the assessment of occupational exposure to arsenic by urinary arsenic speciation measurements, J. Trace Elem. Electrolytes Health Dis. 6,153-160. 

Valkonen, S. Jarvisalo, J., Aitio, A. (1983). Urinary arsenic in a Finnish population without occupational exposure to arsenic, in Braetter. P. and Schramel, P. Trace Element-Analytical Chemistry in medicine and Biology. Vol.2, p. 611-621 Walter de Gruyter Co. Berlin. 

Despite the numerous reported cases of arsenic poisoning in the medical record, it does not appear that systematic investigations of occupational exposure to arsenic were ever undertaken. The historical silence about workplace exposure to arsenic was unprecedented. None of the pioneers of occupational medicine (including Paracelsus, George Agricola, Bernardino Ramazzani, Charles Thackrah,... 

The findings of an occupational study conducted by Mabuchi and colleagues reported in the Archives of Environmental Health, in 1979, do suggest that occupational exposure to arsenical pesticides increases the risk of cancer.i This study involved workers at a plant which manufactured and formulated arsenic-base insecticides, rodenticides, and herbicides. Mortality from lung cancer in male workers was significantly higher than expected for workers with presumed high exposure to arsenicals. 

Boffetta, P., L. Fontana, P. Stewart, D. Zaridze, N. Szeszenia-Dabrowska, V. Janout, V. Bencko, L. Foretova, V. Jinga, V. Matveev, H. Kollarova, G. Ferro, W.H. Chow, N. Rothman, D. van Bemmel, S. Karami, P. Brennan, and L.E. Moore. 2011. Occupational exposure to arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel, and renal cell carcinoma A case-control study from Central and Eastern Europe. Occup. Environ. Med. 68(10) 723-728. 

Exposure to trace elements in glass workers is associated with internal malignancy (Wingren and Axelson 1993) There is a suggestion that nasal cancer may be associated with occupational exposure to arsenic (Battista et al. 1996). 

VI. MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS If your exposure to arsenic is over the Action Level (5 mg/m )—(including all persons working in regulated areas) at least 30 days per year, or you have been exposed to arsenic for more than 10 years over the Action Level, your employer is required to provide you with a medical examination. The examination shall be every 6 months for employees over 45 years old or with more than 10 years exposure over the Action Level and annually for other covered employees. The medical examination must include a medical history a chest x-ray skin examination and a nasal examination. The examining physician will provide a written opinion to your employer containing the results of the medical exams. You should also receive a copy of this opinion. The physician must not tell your employer any conditions he detects unrelated to occupational exposure to arsenic but must tell you those conditions. 

Second phase The worker complains of conjunctivitis, a catarrhal state of the mucous membranes of the nose, larynx, and respiratory passage. Coryza, hoarseness, and mild tracheobronchitis may occur. Perforation of the nasal septum is common, and is probably the most typical lesion of the upper respiratory tract in occupational exposure to arsenical dust. Skin lesions, eczematoid and allergic in type, are common. 

Hine, C. H., Pinto, S. S., and Nelson, K. W., 1975, Medical problems associated with occupational exposure to arsenic. "Symposium Proceedings, Int. Conf. Heavy Metals in the E viro ment", Toronto, Canada, Oct. 27-31, Vol. Ill, p. 316. 

Occupational Exposure to Inofganic Arsenic, E.S. Dept, of HEW National Institute of Safety and Health, Washington, D.C., 1973. 

The information available regarding the association of occupational exposure to lead with increased cancer risk is generally limited in its usefulness because the actual compound(s) of lead, the route(s) of exposure, and level(s) of lead to which the workers were exposed were often not reported. Furthermore, potential for exposure to other chemicals including arsenic, cadmium, and antimony occurred, particularly in lead smelters, and smoking was a possible confounder (Cooper 1976 IARC 1987). These studies, therefore, are not sufficient to determine the carcinogenicity of lead in humans, and the following discussion is restricted to the most comprehensive of these studies. 

Landrigan et al. (1982) conducted an epidemiologic survey to evaluate occupational exposure to arsine in a lead-acid battery manufacturing plant. Arsine concentrations ranged from nondetectable to 49 /breathing zone samples. A high correlation was found between urinary arsenic concentration and arsine exposure (r=0.84 p=0.0001 for an n of 47). Additionally, arsine levels above 15.6 /ig/m3 (=0.005 ppm) were associated with urinary arsenic concentrations in excess of 50 //g/L. The investigators concluded that exposure to a 200 /ig/m3 arsine exposure standard would not prevent chronic increased absorption of trivalent arsenic. 

Landrigan, P.J., R.J.Castello, and W.T.Stringer. 1982. Occupational exposure to arsine. An epidemiologic reappraisal of current standards. Scand. J. Work Environ. Health. 8 169-177. Legge, T.M. 1916. Arsenic poisoning. In Diseases of Occupations and Vocational Hygiene, G.M.Kober and W.Hanson, eds. Philadelphia, PA Blakiston. 

Lee-Eeldstein A Cumulative exposure to arsenic and its relationship to respiratory cancer among copper smelter employees, f Occup Med 28 296-302, 1986... 

In the communities surrounding the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, a Superfund site in Colorado, USA, pathways for exposure to arsenic were evaluated through analysis of residence history, occupation, hobbies, dietary habits, water supply, housing, and activity patterns (Reif et al., 1993). Children of Hispanic origin or non-Caucasian children who drank less than three glasses of water daily and children who spent more time outdoors had an increased risk of having more than 10 pg/1 of arsenic in their urine (Reif et al., 1993). 

The objective of this chapter is to put into perspective some of the current knowledge with respect to trace metals and their health implications. Potential adverse health effects of occupational exposures to trace metals are dis cussed cancer (arsenic, beryllium chromium nickel, and perhaps cadmium) chronic lung disease (beryllium and cadmium) neurologic and reproductive disorders (lead and mercury) and kidney disorders (lead and cadmium). Also discussed are the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended standards for occupational exposure to several trace metals, the difficulty of establishing safe levels of exposure (particularly for carcinogens), and problems involved in identifying toxic components of trade name products. Special attention is given to the role of chemists to help protect the public health. 

The primary routes of potential human exposure to coke oven emissions are inhalation and dermal contact. Occupational exposure to coke oven emissions may occur for those workers in the aluminum, steel, graphite, electrical, and construction industries. Coke oven emissions can have a deleterious effect on human health. Coke oven emissions contain literally several thousand compounds, several of which are known carcinogens and/or cocarcinogens including polycyclic organic matter from coal tar pitch volatiles, jS-naphthylamine, benzene, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromate, lead, nickel subsulfide, nitric oxide, and sulfur dioxide. Most regulatory attention has been paid to coal tar pitch volatiles. 

Hair has been used in the biomonitoring of various elements, for example, arsenic, thallium, and zinc, and has been used in the monitoring of drugs and biological substances. The level of mercury in hair is widely used as a biological indicator for exposure to methyl mercury (MeHg). In addition, hair samples have been utilized to evaluate environmental exposure to pollutants such as lead, and occupational exposures to metals such as nickel and chromium. However, the ATSDR has stated ... 

In a study of 228 Swedish copper smelter workers, it was found that the age standardized rate ratio for lung cancer death was 3.0 for arsenic-exposed nonsmokers, 4.9 for smokers not occupationally exposed to arsenic, and 14.6 for arsenic-exposed smokers, demonstrating a multiplicative effect of the combined exposure. I122l... 

The World War I chemical arsenal included cyanide. Other potential cyanide exposures in the twentieth century came from medicinal and industrial sources. Thiocyanate, a medicine in the early twentieth century prescribed for hypertension, caused severe psychosis (Barnett et al. 1951). Hamilton and Hardy (1974) reviewed two cases of chronic occupational exposure to cyanide that caused intellectual impairment in one case and nervousness in the other. 

Industrial and environmental sources cause most modern cases of arsenic poisoning. A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study in 1975 estimated that 1.5 million workers had potential exposure to arsenic (Hartman 1988). Poisonings have resulted from veterinary compounds, paints, herbicides, pesticides, rodenti-cides, treated lumber, and Chinese herbal products (Garvey et al. 2001 Gosselin et al. 1984 Peters et al. 1983). Table 7-1 lists occupations with the greatest risk of exposure to arsenic. 

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