Biomonitoring of Urinary Nickel Successfully Protects Employees and Introduces Effective Interventions

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health 2022-04, Vol.19 (8), p.4887
• Main Authors: Kuo, Che-Yu, Lin, Cheng-Fu, Chung, Shih-Yu, Lin, Yu-Li, Chu, Wei-Min, Chen, Chun-Chieh, Tsan, Yu-Tse
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allergic reactions; Asthma; Biological Monitoring; Biomonitoring; Cancer; Creatinine; Dust; Employees; Engineering; Environmental monitoring; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Exposure; Female; Food; Health risks; Heavy metals; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Injury prevention; Intervention; Male; Manufacturing; Nickel; Nickel - analysis; Occupational exposure; Occupational Exposure - analysis; Occupational Exposure - prevention & control; Particle size; Personal protective equipment; Protective clothing; Questionnaires; Respiratory diseases; Toxicity; Urine; Work environment
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19084887

Nickel is a heavy metal used in many industries. Nickel exposure can induce respiratory diseases and allergic reactions, and increase cancer risk. This study evaluated the introduction of a grinding and polishing system to prevent injuries from nickel toxicity in workers. We performed a controlled, interventional, before-and-after study from January 2018 to December 2019 at a faucet component industrial manufacturing site. Results from workplace environmental monitoring, questionnaire responses, and biomonitoring were collected before and after the intervention. Thirty-seven workers (100% men) aged 25.0 (interquartile range (IQR): 22.0-33.5) years were categorized into two groups, those with and without nickel exposure. In the exposed group, the median exposure time was 18.0 months (IQR 14.0-20.0 months). Urinary nickel concentration was lower in the exposed group than in the non-exposed group (13.8 (IQR 1.7-20.7); 23.1 (IQR 11.3-32.8) μg/g creatinine, respectively; = 0.047). The median urinary nickel concentration was lower in the second year than in the first year (17.4 (IQR 2.2-27.4), 7.7 (IQR 4.3-18.5) μg/g creatinine, respectively; = 0.022). Significant reductions in urinary nickel concentration were observed following the intervention and educational program. Thus, biomonitoring of urinary nickel concentration can successfully reflect the effectiveness of interventions and their relationship to nickel exposure.