Biological monitoring of welders' exposure to chromium, molybdenum, tungsten and vanadium.

Title Biological monitoring of welders' exposure to chromium, molybdenum, tungsten and vanadium.
Authors D.G. Ellingsen; M. Chashchin; B. Berlinger; V. Fedorov; V. Chashchin; Y. Thomassen
Journal J Trace Elem Med Biol
DOI 10.1016/j.jtemb.2017.03.002
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Welders are exposed to a number of metallic elements during work. Bioaccessability, that is important for element uptake, has been little studied. This study addresses bioaccessability and uptake of chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W) and vanadium (V) among welders.

METHODS: Bioaccessability of Cr, Mo, V and W was studied in airborne particulate matter collected by personal sampling of the workroom air among shipyard welders by using the lung lining fluid simulant Hatch solution. Associations between concentrations of Hatch soluble and non-soluble elements (Hatchsol and Hatchnon-sol) and concentrations of the four elements in whole blood, serum, blood cells and urine were studied.

RESULTS: Air concentrations of the four elements were low. Only a small fraction of Cr, V and W was Hatchsol, while similar amounts of Mo were Hatchsol and Hatchnon-sol. Welders (N=70) had statistically significantly higher concentrations of all four elements in urine and serum when compared to referents (N=74). Highly statistically significant associations were observed between urinary W and Hatchsol W (p<0.001) and serum V and Hatchsol V (p<0.001), in particular when air samples collected the day before collection of biological samples were considered.

CONCLUSIONS: Associations between Hatchsol elements in air and their biological concentrations were higher than when Hatchnon-sol concentrations were considered. Associations were generally higher when air samples collected the day before biological sampling were considered as compared to air samples collected two days before.

Citation D.G. Ellingsen; M. Chashchin; B. Berlinger; V. Fedorov; V. Chashchin; Y. Thomassen.Biological monitoring of welders' exposure to chromium, molybdenum, tungsten and vanadium.. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2017;41:99106. doi:10.1016/j.jtemb.2017.03.002

Related Elements

Tungsten

See more Tungsten products. Tungsten (atomic symbol: W, atomic number: 74) is a Block D, Group 6, Period 6 element with an atomic weight of 183.84. The number of electrons in each of tungsten's shells is [2, 8, 18, 32, 12, 2] and its electron configuration is [Xe] 4f14 5d4 6s2. Tungsten Bohr ModelThe tungsten atom has a radius of 139 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 210 pm. Tungsten was discovered by Torbern Bergman in 1781 and first isolated by Juan José Elhuyar and Fausto Elhuyar in 1783. In its elemental form, tungsten has a grayish white, lustrous appearance. Elemental TungstenTungsten has the highest melting point of all the metallic elements and a density comparable to that or uranium or gold and about 1.7 times that of lead. Tungsten alloys are often used to make filaments and targets of x-ray tubes. It is found in the minerals scheelite (CaWO4) and wolframite [(Fe,Mn)WO4]. In reference to its density, Tungsten gets its name from the Swedish words tung and sten, meaning heavy stone.

Molybdenum

See more Molybdenum products. Molybdenum (atomic symbol: Mo, atomic number: 42) is a Block D, Group 6, Period 5 element with an atomic weight of 95.96. Molybdenum Bohr ModelThe number of electrons in each of molybdenum's shells is [2, 8, 18, 13, 1] and its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d5 5s1. The molybdenum atom has a radius of 139 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 209 pm. In its elemental form, molybdenum has a gray metallic appearance. Molybdenum was discovered by Carl Wilhelm in 1778 and first isolated by Peter Jacob Hjelm in 1781. Molybdenum is the 54th most abundant element in the earth's crust. Elemental MolybdenumIt has the third highest melting point of any element, exceeded only by tungsten and tantalum. Molybdenum does not occur naturally as a free metal, it is found in various oxidation states in minerals. The primary commercial source of molybdenum is molybdenite, although it is also recovered as a byproduct of copper and tungsten mining. The origin of the name Molybdenum comes from the Greek word molubdos meaning lead.

Chromium

See more Chromium products. Chromium (atomic symbol: Cr, atomic number: 24) is a Block D, Group 6, Period 4 element with an atomic weight of 51.9961. Chromium Bohr ModelThe number of electrons in each of Chromium's shells is 2, 8, 13, 1 and its electron configuration is [Ar] 3d5 4s1. Louis Nicolas Vauquelin first discovered chromium in 1797 and first isolated it the following year. The chromium atom has a radius of 128 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 189 pm. In its elemental form, chromium has a lustrous steel-gray appearance. Elemental ChromiumChromium is the hardest metallic element in the periodic table and the only element that exhibits antiferromagnetic ordering at room temperature, above which it transforms into a paramagnetic solid. The most common source of chromium is chromite ore (FeCr2O4). Due to its various colorful compounds, Chromium was named after the Greek word 'chroma.' meaning color.

Vanadium

See more Vanadium products. Vanadium (atomic symbol: V, atomic number: 23) is a Block D, Group 5, Period 4 element with an atomic weight of 50.9415. Vanadium Bohr ModelThe number of electrons in each of Vanadium's shells is 2, 8, 11, 2 and its electron configuration is [Ar] 3d3 4s2. The vanadium atom has a radius of 134 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 179 pm. Vanadium was discovered by Andres Manuel del Rio in 1801 and first isolated by Nils Gabriel Sefström in 1830. In its elemental form, vanadium has a bluish-silver appearance. Elemental VanadiumIt is a hard, ductile transition metal that is primarily used as a steel additive and in alloys such as Titanium-6AL-4V, which is composed of titanium, aluminum, and vanadium and is the most common titanium alloy commercially produced. Vanadium is found in fossil fuel deposits and 65 different minerals. Vanadium is not found free in nature; however, once isolated it forms an oxide layer that stabilizes the free metal against further oxidation. Vanadium was named after the word "Vanadis" meaning goddess of beauty in Scandinavian mythology.