Sex hormones and semen quality in welders exposed to hexavalent chromium.
Recent experimental studies in rodents document the spermatotoxic effects of water-soluble hexavalent chromium. Welders comprise, worldwide, a major occupational group with acknowledged exposure to chromium. This study examines the relationship between semen quality and chromium in the urine and blood of a population of 30 tungsten inert gas (TIG) stainless steel welders, 30 mild steel welders and 47 non-welding workers. Each subject provided two to three semen samples. The chromium concentration ranged from 0.17 to 4.74 nmol mmol1 creatinine (median 1.08) in post-shift spot urine and from 6.0 to 46.4 nmol l-1 in blood. None of several semen parameters deteriorated with increasing level of internal exposure to chromium. Low-level exposure to hexavalent chromium associated with TIG stainless steel and mild steel welding do not appear to be a major hazard for human spermatogenesis.
Department of Occupational Medicine, Hospital of Aalborg, Denmark.
J P
JP
Bonde
E
E
Ernst
D000328:Adult; D002857:Chromium / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012661:Semen / Q000187:drug effects*; D013076:Sperm Count / Q000187:drug effects; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014896:Welding
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D002857:Chromium; C074702:chromium hexavalent ion; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone