Lison D, Lauwerys R
Industrial Toxicology and Occupational Medicine Unit, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
Environ Res. 1990 Aug;52(2):187-98. doi: 10.1016/s0013-9351(05)80253-1.
"Hard metal disease" is a chronic lung disease characterized by the presence of interstitial fibrosis; the role of cobalt in the development of this entity is still debated. Indeed, most cases have been observed in some workplaces (grinding) of the hard metal industry and in the diamond polishing industry whereas no similar cases have been reported from workers exposed to pure cobalt powders in cobalt refineries. This study was designed to assess the in vitro toxicity (LDH release, morphology) of different cobalt-containing dusts toward murine peritoneal and alveolar macrophages. The results clearly demonstrate that, both in terms of dust particle and cobalt concentrations, the reactivity of the tungsten carbide-cobalt mixture is quite different from that of cobalt metal powder. The ground tungsten carbide-cobalt mixture prepared by the hard metal industry is almost as toxic as crystalline silica whereas, when tested separately, tungsten carbide has no effect and pure cobalt metal powder slightly impairs cell viability. The uptake of cobalt by macrophages in the presence of tungsten carbide was found to be increased. These observations may have some practical implications in industrial hygiene; they suggest that the acceptable exposure level to cobalt metal should be different when handled alone or in association with other powders such as tungsten carbide.
“硬质合金病”是一种以间质性纤维化为特征的慢性肺部疾病；钴在该疾病发展过程中的作用仍存在争议。实际上，大多数病例是在硬质合金行业的一些工作场所（磨削）和金刚石抛光行业中观察到的，而在钴精炼厂接触纯钴粉的工人中未报告过类似病例。本研究旨在评估不同含钴粉尘对小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞和肺泡巨噬细胞的体外毒性（乳酸脱氢酶释放、形态学）。结果清楚地表明，无论是从粉尘颗粒还是钴浓度方面来看，碳化钨 - 钴混合物的反应性与钴金属粉末有很大不同。硬质合金行业制备的研磨碳化钨 - 钴混合物的毒性几乎与结晶二氧化硅一样，而单独测试时，碳化钨无影响，纯钴金属粉末对细胞活力有轻微损害。发现在存在碳化钨的情况下巨噬细胞对钴的摄取增加。这些观察结果可能对工业卫生有一些实际影响；它们表明单独处理钴金属或与其他粉末（如碳化钨）混合处理时，钴金属的可接受暴露水平应该不同。
