Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Chair in Toxicological Risk Assessment and Management, and Public Health Research Center (CReSP), University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
Chemical and Biological Hazard Prevention, Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail, Montréal, Canada.
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2024 Dec 16;87(24):1030-1049. doi: 10.1080/15287394.2024.2410283. Epub 2024 Oct 3.
The aim of this study was to determine factors influencing observed increased metal biomarkers of exposure levels in a group of 116 Quebec apprentice welders during a longitudinal follow-up of exposure. Analysis of 14 metals was carried out in hair, fingernail, and toenail samples taken from participants over the course of their welding curriculum at 6 different times. Personal and socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, and other potential confounding factors were documented by questionnaire. Multivariate linear mixed-effect models were used to assess main predictors of metal concentrations in each biological matrix including increasing time of exposure throughout the curriculum (defined as the repeated measure "time" variable"). Significant associations between repeated measure "time" variable and metal levels in hair, fingernails, and toenails were found for chromium, iron, manganese and nickel. Significant associations with "time" were also noted for arsenic levels in hair and fingernails, and for barium, cobalt and vanadium levels in fingernails and toenails. The repeated measure "time" variable, hence increasing time of exposure throughout the curriculum, was the predominant predictor of elevated biological metal levels. Reduced spaces and simultaneous activities such as oxyfuel-cutting and welding in the same welding room were suspected to contribute to higher metal levels. Age, ethnicity, and annual household income exerted an effect on metal levels and considered as confounders in the models. Variations observed in metal levels between hair and nails of apprentice welders also emphasized the relevance and importance of performing multi-matrix and multi-element biomonitoring to assess temporal variations in biological metal concentrations during welding curriculum.
本研究旨在确定在 116 名魁北克学徒焊工的纵向暴露随访中，观察到的金属暴露生物标志物水平升高的影响因素。在整个焊接课程的 6 个不同时间点，对参与者的头发、指甲和趾甲样本进行了 14 种金属的分析。通过问卷记录了个人和社会人口统计学特征、生活方式习惯以及其他潜在的混杂因素。使用多变量线性混合效应模型评估了每种生物基质中金属浓度的主要预测因素，包括整个课程中暴露时间的增加（定义为重复测量“时间”变量）。在头发、指甲和趾甲中，反复测量的“时间”变量与铬、铁、锰和镍的金属水平之间存在显著关联。在头发和指甲中的砷水平以及指甲和趾甲中的钡、钴和钒水平与“时间”也存在显著关联。反复测量的“时间”变量，即整个课程中暴露时间的增加，是生物金属水平升高的主要预测因素。在同一个焊接室内进行的减少空间和同时活动，如氧燃料切割和焊接，被怀疑会导致更高的金属水平。年龄、种族和家庭年收入对金属水平有影响，并被认为是模型中的混杂因素。学徒焊工头发和指甲之间金属水平的差异也强调了进行多基质和多元素生物监测的相关性和重要性，以评估焊接课程期间生物金属浓度的时间变化。
