Respiratory Health and Inflammatory Markers—Exposure to Cobalt in the Swedish Hard Metal Industry. Issue 10 (October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Andersson, Lena; Hedbrant, Alexander; Bryngelsson, Ing-Liss; Persson, Alexander; Johansson, Anders; Ericsson, Annette; Vihlborg, Per; Sjögren, Bengt; Särndahl, Eva; Stockfelt, Leo; Westberg, Håkan
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 62:Issue 10(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-10
• Subjects: cobalt exposure -- hard metal -- inflammatory markers -- particle exposure -- respiratory health; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001952
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: To study the relationship between inhalable dust and cobalt, and respiratory symptoms, lung function, exhaled nitric oxide in expired air, and CC16 in the Swedish hard metal industry. Methods: Personal sampling of inhalable dust and cobalt, and medical examination including blood sampling was performed for 72 workers. Exposure-response relationships were determined using logistic, linear, and mixed-model analysis. Results: The average inhalable dust and cobalt concentrations were 0.079 and 0.0017 mg/m 3, respectively. Statistically significant increased serum levels of CC16 were determined when the high and low cumulative exposures for cobalt were compared. Nonsignificant exposure-response relationships were observed between cross-shift inhalable dust or cobalt exposures and asthma, nose dripping, and bronchitis. Conclusions: Our findings suggest an exposure-response relationship between inhalable cumulative cobalt exposure and CC16 levels in blood, which may reflect an injury or a reparation process in the lungs.