Non-carcinogenic risk assessment of occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium in two
Journal of Behdasht dar Arseh (i.e., Health in the Field),
Vol. 4 No. 1 (1395),
29 December 2016
,
Page 18-24
https://doi.org/10.22037/jhf.v4i1.13229
Abstract
Background and aims: There are increasing evidences for the toxicity of hexavalent chromium compounds. In the present research, occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium in the electroplating industry was studied. The corresponding non-carcinogenic risk was also assessed in two types of chrome electroplating workers.
Materials and methods: Occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium was evaluated in eighteen decorative and hard chromium electroplating workshops in Tehran, Iran. About 35 hard chromium electroplaters and 30 workers from decorative chrome electroplating workshops were studied. NIOSH 7600 was used to assess occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium. Non-carcinogenic risk assessment of hexavalent chromium was performed according to EPA reference dose. Ethical issues such as confidentiality of information and the announcement of results to the participants were all considered in all stages of research.
Results: The median hexavalent chromium concentration in studied workshops was 0.029 mg/m3, with the
maximum occupational exposure of 0.096 mg/m3 in A7 related to hard chrome electroplating and the minimum level of 0.019 mg/m3 in B6 from decorative chrome electroplating workshops. The results of this study further showed that exposure to hexavalent chromium in the hard chromium electro plating workshops was significantly (p≤0.0001) higher than decorative chrome plating workshops. Non-carcinogenic risk of hard chrome electroplaters was 6 times higher than decorative chrome electroplating workers.
Conclusion: Airborne exposure to hexavalent chromium in the studied chrome electroplating workshops is lower than limit standard of occupational exposure, but non-carcinogenic risk is higher than acceptable level.
- Chromium VI, Chrome electroplating, Non-carcinogenic risk
How to Cite
References
Wiwanitkit V. Minor heavy metal: A review on occupational and environmental intoxication. Indian Journal of
Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2008; 12(3):116.
Anderson RA. Nutritional role of chromium. Science of the Total Environment 1981; 17(1):13-29.
Klaassen CD. Casarett and Doull’s Toxicology: the basic science of poisons. 17th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill
M Torrent FM. Metal Electroplatings.Tehran: Zaban Tasvir Publishing Co 2004; 210-35 (In Persian).
WHO. Overall evaluations of carcinogenicity: An updating of IARC monographs volumes 1 to 42. Lyon:
International Agency for Research on Cancer, International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health
Organization; 1987.
Galloway TS. Biomarkers in environmental and human health risk assessment. Marine Pollution Bulletin 2006;
(10):606-13.
Gatto NM, Kelsh MA, Mai DH, Suh M, Proctor DM. Occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium and
cancers of the gastrointestinal tract: A meta-analysis. Cancer Epidemiology 2010; 34(4):388-99.
Bertazzi P, Zocchetti C, Terzaghi G ,Riboldi L, Guercilena S, Beretta F. Cancerogenic risk in the production of
paints and varnishes. Mortality study. La Medicina del lavoro 1981; 72(6):465.
Cempel M, Nikel G. Nickel: a review of its sources and environmental toxicology. Polish Journal of Environmental
Studies 2006; 15(3):375-82.
MÄKINEN M, Linnainmaa M. Dermal exposure to chromium in electroplating. Annals of Occupational
Hygiene 2004; 48(3):277-83.
Scutaru B, Popa D, Cazuc V, Popescu I, Roman I, Hurduc V, et al. Ambiental and biological monitoring of
electroplating workers. Journal of Preventive Medicine 2006; 14(3-4):7-16.
Wang X, Sato T, Xing B, Tao S. Health risks of heavy metals to the general public in Tianjin, China via
consumption of vegetables and fish. Science of the Total Environment 2005; 350(1):28-37.
Zheng N, Wang Q, Zhang X, Zheng D, Zhang Z, Zhang S. Population health risk due to dietary intake of heavy
metals in the industrial area of Huludao city, China. Science of the Total Environment 2007; 387(1):96-104
Zabin SA, Foaad M, Al-Ghamdi AY. Non-carcinogenic risk assessment of heavy metals and fluoride in some
water wells in the Al-Baha Region, Saudi Arabia. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 2008; 14(6):1306-17.
Chabukdhara M, Nema AK. Heavy metals assessment in urban soil around industrial clusters in Ghaziabad,
India: probabilistic health risk approach. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2013; 87:57-64.
Tunsaringkarn T, Siriwong W, Rungsiyothin A, Nopparatbundit S. Occupational exposure of gasoline station
workers to BTEX compounds in Bangkok, Thailand. The International Journal of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine 2012; 3(3 July).
Smith R. EPA Region III Risk Based Concentration Table. Philadelphia (PA): United States Environmental
Protection Agency, Region III, 1995.
USEPA. Chromium (VI). Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), Chemical Assessment Summary, National
Center for Environmental Assessmen, United States Environmental Protection Agency; 1998. CASRN.1998;
-29-9.
Yimrungruang D, Cheevaporn V, Boonphakdee T, Watchalayann P, Helander HF. Characterization and health
risk assessment of volatile organic compounds in gas service station workers. Environment Asia 2008; 2:21-29.
Nieuwenhuijsen M, Paustenbach D, Duarte-Davidson R. New developments in exposure assessment: The
impact on the practice of health risk assessment and epidemiological studies. Environment International 2006;
(8):996-1009.
Stewart P, Stenzel M. Exposure assessment in the occupational setting. Applied Occupational and Environmental
Hygiene 2000; 15(5):435-44.
Golbabaie F, Ostadi M, Mohammad K, Ostadi V, Rismanchian M, Tirgar A, et al. Feasibility of biological
monitoring for evaluating of exposure to Cr6 in Electroplating workshops. Journal of School of Public Health and
Institute of Public Health Research 2007; 5(3):15-22 (In Persian).
Chen J-L, Guo Y-L, Tsai P-J, Su L-F. Use of inhalable Cr+ 6 exposures to characterize urinary chromium
concentrations in plating industry workers. Journal of Occupational Health 2002; 44(1):46-52.
Zhang X-H, Zhang X, Wang X-C, Jin L-F, Yang Z-P, Jiang C-X, et al. Chronic occupational exposure to
hexavalent chromium causes DNA damage in electroplating workers. BMC Public Health 2011; 11(1):224.
Pierre F, Diebold F, Baruthio F. Biomonitoring of two types of chromium exposure in an electroplating shop.
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 2008; 81(3):321-29.
Yi GY, Kim B, Shin YC. Worker Exposure Assessment on Airborne Total Chromium and Hexavalent Chromium
by Process in Electroplating Factories. Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
; 25(1):89-94.
- Abstract Viewed: 718 times