title: The suitability of EBC-Pb as a new biomarker to assess occupational exposure to lead.
abstract: Occupational exposure to lead (Pb) requires continuous surveillance to assure, as much as possible, safe and healthful working conditions. This study addresses the suitability of assessing Pb exposure in relevant workers using their exhaled breath condensate (EBC). This study enrolled workers of two different Pb processing industries characterized by moderate and high Pb exposure levels in the work environment, and a group of non-exposed individuals working in offices who served as baseline for Pb exposure. The EBC-Pb of workers reflected the Pb levels in the work environment of all three settings, although the relationship with B-Pb was not clear. The lack of correlation between EBC-Pb and B-Pb most probably indicates the time lag for Pb to enter in the two body pools. The EBC-Pb seems to reflect immediate exposure, providing a prompt signature of Pb in the environmental that may interact directly with the organ. By delivering short-term evaluation of exposure, EBC-Pb represents a clear advantage in biomonitoring and may become an interesting tool for estimating organ burden.
authors.affiliation: a Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, Dpt Física, Instituto Superior Técnico , Universidade Técnica de Lisboa , Lisboa , Portugal.
authors.forename: Pedro M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Félix
authors.forename: Susana Marta
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: António Bugalho
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Maria Inês
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Claro
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fragoso
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Teles
authors.forename: Hubert Th
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Wolterbeek
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001944:Breath Tests; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D015415:Biomarkers; D007854:Lead
keywords: biomarker of exposure; blood-Pb; exhaled breath condensate; lead; occupational exposure