Serum and urine chromium as indices of chromium status in tannery workers

Journal Article · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3181/00379727-185-42510· OSTI ID:6496961

Randall, J A; Gibson, R S

Serum and urinary Cr levels of a selected group of men exposed to CrIII in four Southern Ontario tanneries were compared with those of men not exposed to Cr. Fasted blood samples were obtained from 72 tannery workers (TW; mean age +/- SD = 36 +/- 12 years) and from 52 controls (CS; mean age +/- SD = 41 +/- 13 years). Serum Cr levels as determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry were significantly higher (P = 0.0001) for TW (median 0.49 ng/ml, range 0.37-0.81) than for CS (median 0.15 ng/ml, range 0.12-0.20). Urine samples were collected from 49 TW and 43 CS on a Friday pm and from 42 TW on a Monday am. Urinary creatine (Cre) was determined by the Jaffe reaction. For Friday samples, the median urinary Cr/Cre ratio was significantly higher (P = 0.0001) for TW (median 0.83 ng/mg, range 0.48-1.82) than for CS (median 0.18 ng/mg, range 0.13-0.26). For TW, Cr/Cre was correlated with serum Cr (r = 0.72, P = 0.0001). Neither urinary Cr/Cre nor serum Cr was correlated with length of employment in the tanning industry. There were significant differences in serum Cr levels and urinary Cr/Cre ratios among TW employed in different areas of the tanneries. For TW, the median urinary Cr/Cre ratio for Monday morning samples was significantly lower than for Friday afternoon samples (P = 0.03). These data indicate that CrIII is absorbed and that serum and urine Cr in tannery workers may be indices of Cr exposure and status.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Guelph, Ontario
• OSTI ID: 6496961
• Journal Information: Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States) Vol. 1; ISSN PSEBA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
AMINO ACIDS
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BLOOD SERUM
BODY FLUIDS
CANADA
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHROMIUM
CREATINE
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
MATERIALS
METABOLISM
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ONTARIO
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
QUANTITY RATIO
SPECTROSCOPY
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URINE
WASTES