Vanadium threshold limit values

Magnesium vanadates, as vanadium compounds in general, are known irritants of the respiratory tract and conjunctiva. The threshold limit value (TLV) for vanadium compounds in air recommended by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health is 0.05 mg/m based on a typical 8-h workday and 40-h workweek (7,147). Chronic inhalation can lead to lung diseases such as bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, and lobar pneumonia. These dust-related effects can be avoided by use of individual respirators in areas where exposure is likely. 

At least 11 metals are biologically toxic, as shown in Table I along with their threshold limit values (1,2,3) arsenic, beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, mercury, nickel, lead, antimony, selenium, tin, and vanadium. For these and other metals, the biological toxicity for long-term, low-level exposures is not known. Other metals such as manganese and iron are... 

For risk assessment in the case of vanadium uptake urine is the matrix of choice. The collection of urine is non-invasive and is practical under routine conditions. Moreover this parameter is more sensitive for diagnostic purposes than the vanadium concentration in blood. A tentative biological threshold limit value of 50 mg/kg creatinine has been proposed for urinary vanadium (Lauwerys, 1983). 

In the United States, The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists have proposed threshold limit values of 0.5 mg/m for vanadium pentoxide dust or vanadates and 0.105 mg/m for vanadium pentoxide fume. These limits are based on information compiled from industrial experience and from experimental human and animal studies. The Russians have proposed a more stringent limit, 0.1 mg/m, for dust concerning their work with rabbits. 

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