Schaller K H, Manke G, Raithel H J, Bühlmeyer G, Schmidt M, Valentin H
Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1980;47(3):223-31. doi: 10.1007/BF00381680.
Thallium and its compounds have a high toxic potency. For the production of particularly resistant sorts of cement, additives containing thallium, among other things, are employed. In conformity with our present toxicological knowledge, the determination of the concentration of thallium in the urine must be considered a suitable parameter for the assessment of the presence of thallium in the body. Occupational-medical preventive examinations were carried out in a total of 128 male employees from all areas of production in three cement factories. An exposure of these employees to thallium was objectified by analyses of the roasted pyrites employed and the dust from the electric filter. The study included the questioning of the employees with respect to their previous history of health, and also a physical examination aimed at detecting clinical symptoms of a possible effect of thallium. The analysis of thallium was carried out in samples of "spontaneous" urine. The analytical method employed was flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy (carbon-rod atomizer). In part, the group of persons investigated revealed excretions of thallium slightly or moderately above the normal level (range: < 0.3-6.3 micrograms/g creatinine). As the upper normal limit of thallium excretion, we computed a value of 1.1 micrograms/g creatinine. In no case, however, did the case history data or the findings of the physical examination reveal any indication of the symptoms characteristic of thallium poisoning.
铊及其化合物具有很高的毒性。为了生产特别耐蚀的水泥品种，会使用含铊等物质的添加剂。根据我们目前的毒理学知识，测定尿中铊的浓度必须被视为评估体内铊存在情况的一个合适参数。对三家水泥厂所有生产领域的128名男性员工进行了职业医学预防性检查。通过对所用焙烧黄铁矿和电除尘器灰尘的分析，确定了这些员工接触铊的情况。该研究包括询问员工既往健康史，以及旨在检测铊可能产生影响的临床症状的体格检查。铊的分析在“随机”尿液样本中进行。采用的分析方法是无火焰原子吸收光谱法（碳棒原子化器）。部分受调查人群的铊排泄量略高于或中度高于正常水平（范围：<0.3 - 6.3微克/克肌酐）。我们计算出铊排泄的正常上限值为1.1微克/克肌酐。然而，病史数据或体格检查结果在任何情况下都未显示出铊中毒特征症状的迹象。
