title: Prevalence of nickel sensitization and urinary nickel content of children are increased by nickel in ambient air.
abstract: In a cross-sectional study performed in 2000, an unexpected positive association between nickel (Ni) in ambient air, urinary Ni content and the prevalence of Ni sensitization in a subgroup of 6-yr-old children living near a steel mill was observed. Between 2005 and 2006, in a different and larger study population, we examined if Ni from ambient air or urinary Ni concentration was related to Ni sensitization in children living next to Ni-emitting steel mills. We studied 749 school beginners living in four Ni-polluted industrial areas of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. We assessed Ni in ambient air, Ni in urine from children and mothers, and Ni in tap water, conducted patch tests in children (including the NiSO(4)-dilution test) and collected questionnaire data. Statistics were done by linear and logistic regression analyses, adjusted for covariates. At increased Ni concentration in ambient air (unit of increase: 10 ng/m(3)), urinary Ni concentrations rose in both mothers (9.1%; 95% CI: 6.8-11.4%) and children (2.4%; 95% CI: 0.4-4.4%). The prevalence of Ni sensitization in children was associated with increased Ni from ambient air (unit of increase: 18 ng/m(3); odds ratio 1.28; 95% CI: 1.25-1.32) and urinary Ni concentration (unit of increase: 7.1 μg/L; odds ratio 2.4; 95% CI: 1.20-4.48). Ni in ambient air of areas with Ni-emitting factories contributes to internal Ni exposure in residents via inhalation and, furthermore, is a risk factor for the development of Ni sensitization in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Social and Environmental Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitaetsstr. 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany. kasper-sonnenberg@hygiene.rub.de
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kasper-Sonnenberg
authors.forename: Dorothee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sugiri
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wurzler
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ranft
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dickel
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wittsiepe
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hölzer
authors.forename: Friederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lemm
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eberwein
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Altmeyer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Krämer
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity / Q000652:urine*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity / Q000652:urine*; D010328:Patch Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity / Q000652:urine; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D014873:Water Pollutants; D009532:Nickel; D003404:Creatinine