title: Determinants of occupational exposure to metals by gas metal arc welding and risk management measures: a biomonitoring study.
abstract: Welding fumes contain various toxic metals including chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and manganese (Mn). An assessment of the risk to health of local and systemic exposure to welding fumes requires the assessment of both external and internal doses. The aims of this study were to test the relevance in small and medium sized enterprises of a biomonitoring strategy based on urine spot-samples, to characterize the factors influencing the internal doses of metals in gas metal arc welders and to recommend effective risk management measures. 137 welders were recruited and urinary levels of metals were measured by ICP-MS on post-shift samples collected at the end of the working week. Cr, Ni and Mn mean concentrations (respectively 0.43, 1.69 and 0.27 μg/g creatinine) were well below occupational health guidance values, but still higher than background levels observed in the general population, confirming the absorption of metals generated in welding fumes. Both welding parameters (nature of base metal, welding technique) and working conditions (confinement, welding and grinding durations, mechanical ventilation and welding experience) were predictive of occupational exposure. Our results confirm the interest of biomonitoring for assessing health risks and recommending risk management measures for welders.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Toxicologie Professionnelle et Environnementale, DBTP, Institut de Biologie et Pathologie, CHU de Grenoble, CS 20217, Grenoble 38043 Cedex 9, France; Equipe Environnement et Prédiction de la Santé des Populations, Laboratoire TIMC, UMR CNRS 5525, UFR de Médecine, Université Grenoble Alpes, La tronche 38700, France. Electronic address: RPersoons@chu-grenoble.fr.
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Persoons
authors.affiliation: Service de Santé et Travail en Drôme des Collines, rue de Gillières, ZI des Allobroges, BP 131, Romans 26104 Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arnoux
authors.affiliation: Service de Santé et Travail en Drôme des Collines, rue de Gillières, ZI des Allobroges, BP 131, Romans 26104 Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Théodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Monssu
authors.affiliation: Association Patronale Interentreprises de Médecine du Travail de Crest, 50, ZI Pied Gai, Crest 26400, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Culié
authors.affiliation: Service de Santé au Travail de Drôme Provençale, Pôle du Meyrol Rue Raymond-Louis, Montélimar 26200, France.
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.affiliation: Service de Santé au Travail de Drôme Provençale, Pôle du Meyrol Rue Raymond-Louis, Montélimar 26200, France.
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duffaud
authors.affiliation: Service de Santé au Travail de Drôme Provençale, Pôle du Meyrol Rue Raymond-Louis, Montélimar 26200, France.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chalaye
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Toxicologie Professionnelle et Environnementale, DBTP, Institut de Biologie et Pathologie, CHU de Grenoble, CS 20217, Grenoble 38043 Cedex 9, France; Equipe Environnement et Prédiction de la Santé des Populations, Laboratoire TIMC, UMR CNRS 5525, UFR de Médecine, Université Grenoble Alpes, La tronche 38700, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maitre
mesh_terms: D002857:Chromium / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008345:Manganese / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine*; D008670:Metals / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine; D009532:Nickel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000592:standards*; D012308:Risk Management; D014896:Welding / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D002857:Chromium; D008345:Manganese; D009532:Nickel
keywords: Biomonitoring; Determinants of exposure; GMAW; ICP-MS; Metals; Occupational exposure; Risk management measures; Welding