Documents lead 78 results

The Profile of Mood States (POMS) is an instrument composed of six mood scales that were developed using clinical populations. 467 current and retired lead-smelter workers completed the POMS, and a factor analysis was performed on the individual items. Factor analysis produced one factor, labelled "general distress", that was composed mainly of items from five of the six POMS subscales (anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension) and a second factor labelled "psychological adjustment". Integrated blood lead level, a measure of cumulative lead exposure that included prior high exposure, was significantly related to the POMS "general distress" factor, while a current blood lead level that was relatively low was unrelated. As expected, POMS psychological adjustment was not related to lead exposure. Factor analysis did not support the use of six separate POMS subscales in this occupational population.

The risk of gastric cardia cancer was evaluated by occupation and industry using death certificate data for 24 US states. Among white men, occupations with elevated risk included financial managers, janitors and cleaners, production inspectors and truck drivers. Industries with elevated risk included pulp and paper mills, newspaper publishing and printing, industrial and miscellaneous chemicals, water supply and irrigation. A consistent pattern of risk increase by level and probability of exposure was observed only for sulfuric acid mists. A significant increase in risk was observed for subjects exposed to lead, although crosstabulation of gastric cardia cancer risk by probability and level of exposure did not show consistent trends. Asbestos exposure showed an overall 50% increase but no consistent trends among white men. None of the 12 occupational hazards showed an association with risk for black men.

Background The aim of the study was to evaluate whether cadmium concentrations in kidney (K-Cd), blood (B-Cd) or urine (U-Cd) could reveal previous occupational cadmium exposure at a metal smelter. Methods The study included 90 smelters and 35 controls (B-Cd and U-Cd determination). In a subgroup (N = 33), K-Cd was also determined. Results B-Cd (median 4.6; range 0.5-53 nmol/L), U-Cd (0.29; 0.04-1.9 mol/mol creatinine) and K-Cd (14; 3-61 g/g wet weight) were similar to reported concentrations in the general Swedish population. In the subgroup, significant associations (P<0.001) were obtained between B-Cd and K-Cd (r = 0.70), U-Cd and K-Cd (r = 0.60) and between U-Cd and B-Cd (r = 0.62). Multiple regression analyses revealed smoking as the major predictor of K-Cd, B-Cd, and U-Cd. B-Cd and U-Cd were both associated with the duration of employment at the smelter. Conclusions There was no statistically significant evidence of previous occupational exposure at the smelter from measurement of K-Cd.

Analysis of data from the death certificates of 27,060 brain cancer cases showed that brain cancer risk increased by probability of exposure to lead among white men and women with high-level exposure, with a significant twofold excess among white men with high probability and high level of exposure. Risks were also elevated for African-American men with high-level exposure. Although exposure assessment was based solely on the occupation and industry reported on the death certificate, these results add to other epidemiologic and experimental findings in lending some support to the hypothesis of an association between occupational exposure to lead and brain cancer risk.

"A longitudinal study was carried out on two groups of workers engaged in tin/lead alloy welding in the telecommunications sector. The risk of exposure was evaluated by measuring levels of airborne lead and concentrations of lead in blood. The correlated effects were assessed by determining zinc protoporphyrin(ZPP) and haemoglobin levels and red blood cell count. Subjective symptoms were also recorded. Results indicated a very low risk of lead exposure during microwelding operations. While blood lead concentrations were significantly higher than those in the general population, they were significantly lower than the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's permissible exposure limit. No variation was found in the other biological parameters investigated, and no health effects were observed. During the study period, the introduction of some technological innovations led to a further reduction in lead exposure and,subsequently, to its total elimination. Blood lead concentrations gradually declined to lower values, and ZPP concentrations also decreased to normal levels, demonstrating that the effect of lead on heme synthesis may occur even at very low levels of lead exposure."