Immuno-biochemical findings in groups of individuals occupationally and non-occupationally exposed to emissions containing nickel and cobalt.

Immune reactions elicited in the sera of individuals exposed to nickel and cobalt were assessed by changes in the concentration of serum immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM and serum proteins alpha 2 macroglobulin (A2M), transferrin (TRF), alpha 1-antitrypsin (A1AT), ceruloplasmin (CPL) and lysozyme (LYS). Examinations were carried out in workers occupationally exposed to Ni (38 individuals) or Co (35 individuals) and in groups of non-occupationally exposed children living in areas with a different degree of air pollution from a nearby source of Ni and Co emissions (one group was made up of 54 exposed children, the other one of 64 "less exposed" children of the same age). Groups of non-exposed controls were represented by a group of 42 male adults matched by age and by a group of 48 children from a non-polluted area. Significantly increased average values were obtained for IgG, IgA and IgM in group of workers exposed to Ni, for IgA in workers exposed to Co and for A1AT, A2M, CPL and LYS in both groups of occupationally exposed adults (p less than 0.001 - p less than 0.005). Among non-occupationally exposed children the group of the most exposed had significantly elevated average values for A2M and A1AT which were higher than those recorded in groups of "less exposed" and control children (p less than 0.02 and p less than 0.05, respectively). The biomedical importance of these findings is discussed in detail.