The Relationship between Airborne Metal Concentrations and Blood Metal Levels of Workers in a Electric Arc Furnace Steel Plant and Effects of Blood Lead Level and Occupational Noise on Hearing Loss
Date Issued
2007
Date
2007
Author(s)
Chiang, Han-Yueh
DOI
zh-TW
Abstract
Objectives：(1) to measure airborne particulate metal concentrations in the major steel manufacturing departments, (2) to explore the relationship between work environmental metal exposure and blood metal levels of workers, (3) to explore the effects of blood lead level and occupational noise on hearing loss.
Method：Study subjects included 412 employees from a steel plant. Environmental monitoring consisted of total and respirable airborne particulate metal levels, average and maximum noise levels. Information collected for study subjects includes blood metal levels, hearing loss, demographic data, and work history. Airborne particulate samples and blood samples of workers were analyzed for Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry .
Results：Results of total airborne particulate sample analyses showed that electric arc furnace area had the highest levels of Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb. Results of respirable airborne particulate sample analyses showed that material-supplying area had the highest levels of Cr, Mn, Fe, and Cu, and electric arc furnace area had the highest levels of Ni, Zn, Cd, and Pb. Total and respirable airborne particulate lead levels were shown highly correlated with the blood lead levels with correlation coefficients of 0.475 and 0.383（p<0.0001）, respectively. All subjects were categorized into high lead level group and low lead level group at the cut point of 7 μg/dL, and classified into high and low noise exposure groups at the environmental noise level of 85 dB. Hearing loss was defined as both ears with average hearing loss greater than 25 dB. After adjusting the effect of age, the odds ratio for hearing loss for the high blood lead level group were 4.8 (95% CI：1.6~14.4) at 3K Hz and 2.7 (95% CI：1.2~5.7) at 4K Hz.
Conclusion：Blood lead levels of workers were highly correlated with the work environmental lead particulate exposure. Relatively low blood lead level was founded correlated with hearing loss, and, however, the mechanism still need to be further explored.
Key words：electric arc furnace, lead dust, blood lead, hearing loss.
Subjects
電弧爐
鉛粉塵
血鉛
聽力損失
electric arc furnace
lead dust
blood lead
hearing loss
Type
thesis
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