Gerhardsson L, Wester P O, Nordberg G F, Brune D
Sci Total Environ. 1984 Aug 1;37(2-3):233-46. doi: 10.1016/0048-9697(84)90099-8.
Lung, liver and kidney tissue concentrations of chromium, cobalt and lanthanum from 66 deceased copper smelter workers have been compared with 14 controls. Samples were taken in connection with ordinary autopsies at the local hospital. Neutron activation analysis was used. The mean exposure time for the smelter workers was 30 y, the mean time to date of death after termination of exposure was 7.4 y. A four-fold increase of chromium (p = 0.001) and a two-fold increase of cobalt (p less than 0.001) and lanthanum (p = 0.013) in lung tissue was found for smelter workers compared to controls. Of the smelters nearly one third died from malignancies (approximately 10% from respiratory cancer) and approximately 45% from cardiovascular disease. In the control group nearly 80% died from cardiovascular diseases and no malignancies were found. In lung tissues the concentration of chromium, cobalt and lanthanum did not decline with time after exposure had ended, indicating a long biological half-time. The causes of death could not be related to a single factor. The findings indicate a multifactorial genesis.
对66名已故铜冶炼工人的肺、肝和肾组织中的铬、钴和镧浓度与14名对照者进行了比较。样本是在当地医院进行普通尸检时采集的。采用中子活化分析。冶炼工人的平均接触时间为30年，接触终止后至死亡的平均时间为7.4年。与对照组相比，发现冶炼工人肺组织中的铬增加了四倍（p = 0.001），钴和镧增加了两倍（p < 0.001和p = 0.013）。近三分之一的冶炼工人死于恶性肿瘤（约10%死于呼吸道癌症），约45%死于心血管疾病。在对照组中，近80%死于心血管疾病，未发现恶性肿瘤。在肺组织中，接触结束后铬、钴和镧的浓度并未随时间下降，表明生物半衰期较长。死亡原因不能归因于单一因素。研究结果表明其发病机制是多因素的。
