Hj. Raithel et al., BIOMONITORING OF NICKEL AND CHROMIUM IN HUMAN PULMONARY TISSUE, International archives of occupational and environmental health, 65(1), 1993, pp. 190000197-190000200
Nickel (Ni) and chromium (Cr) and some of its compounds may be able to
induce cancer in the lungs as well as in the nose and paranasal sinus
es after occupational exposure. Latency periods amount to 20 years and
more. Therefore objective exposure data are not available in the most
cases and expert evaluation of the causal connection is often difficu
lt. Recent investigations have shown, that Ni and Cr can cumulate in h
uman lung tissue after occupational exposure. For the evaluation of ''
normal'' Ni- and Cr-values a total of 495 human lung tissue samples of
30 occupationally non-exposed persons were analysed by AAS including
ZEEMAN-compensation after wet oxidative digestion. Additional samples
of 10 deceased persons who have been occupationally exposed to nickel
in previous times by nickel-refining and welding, especially flame spr
aying have been investigated. The median Ni- and Cr- concentrations in
the lungs of the non-exposed persons ranged between 20-40 resp. 133-2
77 ng/g (wet weight). In nickel refinery workers Ni- concentrations we
re found which exceeded the normal range about 1,000. In welders, espe
cially flame sprayers, also values more than 100 times higher could be
analysed for Ni and Cr. Partially these concentrations were found yea
rs after the end of the inhalative exposure.