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Exploring a new method for the assessment of metal exposure by analysis of exhaled breath of welders

Ljungkvist, Göran ; Tinnerberg, Håkan LU ; Löndahl, Jakob LU orcid ; Klang, Therese ; Viklund, Emilia ; Kim, Jeong Lim ; Schiöler, Linus ; Forsgard, Niklas and Olin, Anna Carin (2022) In International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 95(6). p.1255-1265
Abstract

Purpose: Air monitoring has been the accepted exposure assessment of toxic metals from, e.g., welding, but a method characterizing the actual dose delivered to the lungs would be preferable. Sampling of particles in exhaled breath can be used for the biomonitoring of both endogenous biomarkers and markers of exposure. We have explored a new method for the sampling of metals in exhaled breath from the small airways in a study on welders. Methods: Our method for particle sampling, Particles in Exhaled Air (PExA®), is based on particle counting and inertial impaction. We applied it on 19 stainless steel welders before and after a workday. In parallel, air monitoring of chromium, manganese and nickel was performed as well as blood sampling... (More)

Purpose: Air monitoring has been the accepted exposure assessment of toxic metals from, e.g., welding, but a method characterizing the actual dose delivered to the lungs would be preferable. Sampling of particles in exhaled breath can be used for the biomonitoring of both endogenous biomarkers and markers of exposure. We have explored a new method for the sampling of metals in exhaled breath from the small airways in a study on welders. Methods: Our method for particle sampling, Particles in Exhaled Air (PExA®), is based on particle counting and inertial impaction. We applied it on 19 stainless steel welders before and after a workday. In parallel, air monitoring of chromium, manganese and nickel was performed as well as blood sampling after work. Results: Despite substantial exposure to welding fumes, we were unable to show any significant change in the metal content of exhaled particles after, compared with before, exposure. However, the significance might be obscured by a substantial analytical background noise, due to metal background in the sampling media and possible contamination during sampling, as an increase in the median metal contents were indicated. Conclusions: If efforts to reduce background and contamination are successful, the PExA® method could be an important tool in the investigations of metals in exhaled breath, as the method collects particles from the small airways in contrast to other methods. In this paper, we discuss the discrepancy between our findings and results from studies, using the exhaled breath condensate (EBC) methodology.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Biomarkers, Exhaled breath, Exposure, Metals, Small airways, Welding
in
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
volume
95
issue
6
pages
1255 - 1265
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • pmid:35066624
  • scopus:85123504978
ISSN
0340-0131
DOI
10.1007/s00420-022-01833-z
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
59471c7c-20db-4a15-addb-26d379a7ec08
date added to LUP
2022-04-08 12:19:46
date last changed
2024-06-10 05:20:41
@article{59471c7c-20db-4a15-addb-26d379a7ec08,
  abstract     = {{<p>Purpose: Air monitoring has been the accepted exposure assessment of toxic metals from, e.g., welding, but a method characterizing the actual dose delivered to the lungs would be preferable. Sampling of particles in exhaled breath can be used for the biomonitoring of both endogenous biomarkers and markers of exposure. We have explored a new method for the sampling of metals in exhaled breath from the small airways in a study on welders. Methods: Our method for particle sampling, Particles in Exhaled Air (PExA®), is based on particle counting and inertial impaction. We applied it on 19 stainless steel welders before and after a workday. In parallel, air monitoring of chromium, manganese and nickel was performed as well as blood sampling after work. Results: Despite substantial exposure to welding fumes, we were unable to show any significant change in the metal content of exhaled particles after, compared with before, exposure. However, the significance might be obscured by a substantial analytical background noise, due to metal background in the sampling media and possible contamination during sampling, as an increase in the median metal contents were indicated. Conclusions: If efforts to reduce background and contamination are successful, the PExA® method could be an important tool in the investigations of metals in exhaled breath, as the method collects particles from the small airways in contrast to other methods. In this paper, we discuss the discrepancy between our findings and results from studies, using the exhaled breath condensate (EBC) methodology.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ljungkvist, Göran and Tinnerberg, Håkan and Löndahl, Jakob and Klang, Therese and Viklund, Emilia and Kim, Jeong Lim and Schiöler, Linus and Forsgard, Niklas and Olin, Anna Carin}},
  issn         = {{0340-0131}},
  keywords     = {{Biomarkers; Exhaled breath; Exposure; Metals; Small airways; Welding}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1255--1265}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health}},
  title        = {{Exploring a new method for the assessment of metal exposure by analysis of exhaled breath of welders}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00420-022-01833-z}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00420-022-01833-z}},
  volume       = {{95}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}