Human exposure to heavy metals. Rare earth pneumoconiosis in occupational workers. [From Carbon arc lamps in photoengraving]

Journal Article · Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · Chest; (United States)

OSTI ID:5679769

Vocaturo, G; Colombo, F; Zanoni, M; Rodi, F; Sabbioni, E; Pietra, R

A male subject exposed for many years to rare earth (RE)-containing fumes and dusts emitted from carbon arc lamps in photoengraving laboratories was investigated to rule out RE pneumoconiosis. While chest x-ray films showed a severe pulmonary fibrosis, clinical analysis showed obvious high RE concentrations in the pulmonary and lymph node biopsy specimens compared with the corresponding tissues of 11 unexposed subjects. In addition to other elements, levels of thorium (Th), which is generally present as an impurity of RE compounds, were also determined to estimate the radiation dose which may be involved in inducing pneumoconiosis. The results show that the levels of Th are more than two orders of magnitude lower than the maximum permissible concentration for occupational exposure to natural 232Th, suggesting that the long-term accumulation of RE in the lungs played a role in the pathogenesis of the observed pulmonary fibrosis of the worker.

• Research Organization: Presidio Ospedaliero, Division of Pneumology, Cuasso al Monte, Varese, Italy
• OSTI ID: 5679769
• Journal Information: Chest; (United States), Vol. 83:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
RARE EARTHS
HEALTH HAZARDS
DUSTS
FIBROSIS
LUNGS
PATHOGENESIS
PERSONNEL
PNEUMOCONIOSES
THORIUM 232
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HAZARDS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
METALS
NUCLEI
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RADIOISOTOPES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
THORIUM ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)