Evaluation of cyanide exposure and its effect on thyroid function of workers in a cable industry.
A thyroid-hormone evaluation of workers dealing with cyanide compounds in an electroplating process of a cable industry was carried out. Serum thiocyanate (SCN) levels of 35 nonsmoking copper-ply employees were assayed by a ferric-chloride color test. The mean SCN concentration of these employees was 316 +/- 15 mumol/L, which was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than that of control subjects (90.8 +/- 9.02 mumol/L). Serum thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations of exposed workers were compared with those of 35 control subjects. Cyanide exposure resulted in a decrease in T4 and T3 concentrations (P < 0.05) and an increase in TSH concentration (P < 0.05), compared with the control subjects. The serum T4 level was found to be negatively correlated (r = -0.363, P < 0.05), whereas the TSH level was positively correlated (r = 0.354, P < 0.05), with SCN concentration in the exposed group. The study suggests that occupational cyanide exposure in the industry impairs thyroid function.
Banerjee
K K
KK
Department of Occupational Health, All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Calcutta, India.
Bishayee
A
A
Marimuthu
P
P
D000328:Adult; D003486:Cyanides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D013685:Telecommunications; D013861:Thiocyanates / Q000097:blood; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
D003486:Cyanides; D013861:Thiocyanates; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; C031760:thiocyanate; D013974:Thyroxine