PMID- 23790592
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20140911
LR  - 20140122
IS  - 1618-131X (Electronic)
IS  - 1438-4639 (Linking)
VI  - 217
IP  - 2-3
DP  - 2014 Mar
TI  - Assessment of the biological effects of welding fumes emitted from metal inert 
      gas welding processes of aluminium and zinc-plated materials in humans.
PG  - 160-8
LID - S1438-4639(13)00062-X [pii]
LID - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2013.04.008 [doi]
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate biological effects and potential health 
      risks due to two different metal-inert-gas (MIG) welding fumes (MIG welding of 
      aluminium and MIG soldering of zinc coated steel) in healthy humans. In a 
      threefold cross-over design study 12 male subjects were exposed to three 
      different exposure scenarios. Exposures were performed under controlled 
      conditions in the Aachener Workplace Simulation Laboratory (AWSL). On three 
      different days the subjects were either exposed to filtered ambient air, to 
      welding fumes from MIG welding of aluminium, or to fumes from MIG soldering of 
      zinc coated materials. Exposure was performed for 6 h and the average fume 
      concentration was 2.5 mg m(-3). Before, directly after, 1 day after, and 7 days 
      after exposure spirometric and impulse oscillometric measurements were performed, 
      exhaled breath condensate (EBC) was collected and blood samples were taken and 
      analyzed for inflammatory markers. During MIG welding of aluminium high ozone 
      concentrations (up to 250 mug m(-3)) were observed, whereas ozone was negligible 
      for MIG soldering. For MIG soldering, concentrations of high-sensitivity CRP 
      (hsCRP) and factor VIII were significantly increased but remained mostly within 
      the normal range. The concentration of neutrophils increased in tendency. For MIG 
      welding of aluminium, the lung function showed significant decreases in Peak 
      Expiratory Flow (PEF) and Mean Expiratory Flow at 75% vital capacity (MEF 75) 7 
      days after exposure. The concentration of ristocetin cofactor was increased. The 
      observed increase of hsCRP during MIG-soldering can be understood as an indicator 
      for asymptomatic systemic inflammation probably due to zinc (zinc concentration 
      1.5 mg m(-3)). The change in lung function observed after MIG welding of 
      aluminium may be attributed to ozone inhalation, although the late response (7 
      days after exposure) is surprising.
CI  - Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
FAU - Hartmann, L
AU  - Hartmann L
AD  - Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 
      Pauwelsstr. 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: 
      laura.hartmann@rwth-aachen.de.
FAU - Bauer, M
AU  - Bauer M
AD  - Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 
      Pauwelsstr. 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
FAU - Bertram, J
AU  - Bertram J
AD  - Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 
      Pauwelsstr. 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
FAU - Gube, M
AU  - Gube M
AD  - Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 
      Pauwelsstr. 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
FAU - Lenz, K
AU  - Lenz K
AD  - ISF - Welding and Joining Institute, RWTH Aachen University, Pontstrasse 49, 
      D-52062 Aachen, Germany.
FAU - Reisgen, U
AU  - Reisgen U
AD  - ISF - Welding and Joining Institute, RWTH Aachen University, Pontstrasse 49, 
      D-52062 Aachen, Germany.
FAU - Schettgen, T
AU  - Schettgen T
AD  - Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 
      Pauwelsstr. 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
FAU - Kraus, T
AU  - Kraus T
AD  - Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 
      Pauwelsstr. 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
FAU - Brand, P
AU  - Brand P
AD  - Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 
      Pauwelsstr. 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Randomized Controlled Trial
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20130529
PL  - Germany
TA  - Int J Hyg Environ Health
JT  - International journal of hygiene and environmental health
JID - 100898843
RN  - 0 (Air Pollutants, Occupational)
RN  - 0 (Blood Coagulation Factors)
RN  - 0 (Particulate Matter)
RN  - 66H7ZZK23N (Ozone)
RN  - 9007-41-4 (C-Reactive Protein)
RN  - CPD4NFA903 (Aluminum)
RN  - J41CSQ7QDS (Zinc)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adult
MH  - Air Pollutants, Occupational/adverse effects
MH  - *Aluminum
MH  - Blood Coagulation Factors/metabolism
MH  - C-Reactive Protein/metabolism
MH  - Cross-Over Studies
MH  - Environmental Monitoring
MH  - Forced Expiratory Flow Rates
MH  - Humans
MH  - Inflammation/blood/*chemically induced
MH  - Lung/*drug effects/physiopathology
MH  - Lung Diseases/chemically induced/physiopathology
MH  - Male
MH  - Neutrophils/metabolism
MH  - Occupational Diseases/blood/chemically induced/physiopathology
MH  - Occupational Exposure/*adverse effects
MH  - Ozone/*adverse effects
MH  - Particulate Matter/adverse effects
MH  - Vital Capacity
MH  - *Welding/methods
MH  - Young Adult
MH  - *Zinc
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - Aluminium
OT  - Inflammation
OT  - Ozone
OT  - Welding
OT  - Zinc
OT  - hsCRP
EDAT- 2013/06/25 06:00
MHDA- 2014/09/12 06:00
CRDT- 2013/06/25 06:00
PHST- 2012/10/11 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2013/03/24 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2013/04/16 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2013/06/25 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2013/06/25 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2014/09/12 06:00 [medline]
AID - S1438-4639(13)00062-X [pii]
AID - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2013.04.008 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2014 Mar;217(2-3):160-8. doi: 
      10.1016/j.ijheh.2013.04.008. Epub 2013 May 29.