Authors: Shuhua Xi Quanmei Zheng Qiang Zhang Guifan Sun
Publish Date: 2010/12/04
Volume: 84, Issue: 3, Pages: 347-353
Abstract
A total of 95 male workers from two plants located in northeastern part of China were recruited Information about each subject was obtained by questionnaire Inorganic arsenic iAs monomethylarsonic acid MMA dimethylarsinic acid DMA in urine and airborne As concentrations of working sites were determinedAirborne As concentrations in copper smelter sites were significantly higher than steel smelter sites Workers in copper smelter had significantly higher concentrations of iAs MMA DMA in urine with creatinine adjustment but a lower value of primary methylation index PMI than that of steelsmelting plants workers The higher proportion of the inorganic form but the lower proportion of DMA form of copper smelter workers was compared to that of steel smelter workers and the concentration of DMA in steel smelter workers’ urine significantly increased linearly with seafood consumption Seven workers in copper smelter were found to have hyperkeratosis or/and hyperpigmentation and their urine showed higher iAs but lower DMA and PMI compared to other workers without As dermatosis at the same level of As exposureRelease of As dust produced in crude ore extracting and smelting is the main pollution source of As in copper smelter plant The methylation capacity of As decreases with the increase in As exposure level and skin damage caused by As is associated with decreasing methylation capacity
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