[Environmental and biological monitoring of subjects occupationally exposed to precious metals (gold lost-wax casting)].
Environmental monitoring during lost wax casting in jewelry handicrafts was performed for gold, silver, zinc and copper by means of personal samplers and ICP-AAS techniques were used for determining airborne metals. Personal sampling was prolonged for a working week by continuous monitoring during 8 hours shifts, replacing the membrane filter every 2 hours, in 6 workers; in the same workers urine samples were collected during the week and levels of Au, Ag, Zn and Cu were measured by ETA-AAS. During casting process Ag air concentrations ranged 0.27-0.6 mg/m3 while mean levels of Au, Cu, and Zn were 0.028 0.030 and 0.056 mg/m3 respectively. Urinary excretion of Ag (I) determined by solvent extraction and separation by liquid anion exchanger proved very high, after 24-36 h from the casting processes.
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis; D012834:Silver / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D002104:Cadmium; D012834:Silver; D006046:Gold; D003300:Copper; D009532:Nickel; D015032:Zinc
Monitoraggio ambientale e biologico di soggetti professionalmente esposti a metalli preziosi (microfusione a cera persa dell'oro).