Cross-sectional study of platinum salts sensitization among precious metals refinery workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Baker, Dean B. ; Bernstein IL ; Brooks, Stuart M. ; Gallagher J ; Gann PH
• Description:
  An investigation was conducted to determine the prevalence and medical characteristics of platinum (7440064) salts sensitization among current refinery workers and workers who had been medically terminated due to allergic conditions in prior years. Environmental monitoring data were available at the refinery site for years 1977 through 1979. Average air concentrations of platinum salts were determined for areas of the facility as geometric means of 8 hour time weighted average air levels. Environmental measurements were also made for ammonia (7664417), chlorine (7782505), formaldehyde (50000), hydrazine (302012), and hydrogen-chloride (7647010). Fifteen of 197 current employees and eight of 29 medically terminated employees in a secondary refinery of precious metals showed positive skin reactivity to platinum salts. The workers who had been terminated and yet tested positive had been away from platinum salt exposure for an average of 5 years. Current workers with positive skin tests had significantly higher prevalences of rhinitis, asthma, and dermatitis symptoms and positive cold air challenge compared to workers with negative skin test results. Exposures to the other tested substances were low and it was not deemed likely that they were the causes of the symptoms displayed by the workers. Smoking of cigarettes appeared to be a strong risk factor for developing platinum salts sensitization. Atopy did not appear to be a strong risk factor. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Ammonia Dust Lung Metals Metal Workers Occupational Health Respiratory Function Tests Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  Ammonia Atopy Author Keywords: Platinum Refinery Asthma Chlorine Cold Air Challenge Test Dermatitis Dust-inhalation Formaldehyde Hydrazine Hydrogen Chloride IgE Lung-function Metal-dusts Metal-industry-workers Metal-refining NIOSH-Author Nitric Acid Patch-tests PFTs Pulmonary-function-tests Respiratory-system-disorders Skin Prick Test Smoking

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• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; New Jersey ; New York ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  18
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00197706
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 1990 Dec; 18(6):653-664
• CAS Registry Number:
  Ammonia (CAS RN 7664-41-7) ; Chlorine (CAS RN 7782-50-5) ; Formaldehyde (CAS RN 50-00-0) ; Hydrazine (CAS RN 302-01-2) ; Hydrochloric acid (CAS RN 7647-01-0) ; Platinum (CAS RN 7440-06-4)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1991
• NORA Priority Area:
  Pulmonary System Disorders
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f81591f3a108fab484df4e9a2e9b2ebc97dde6a0accfd64d81d786905fcb4b655cf814ab4cb52b0c158131eac506235ff27244189db6c691e6faab1ae5429e45
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/204424/cdc_204424_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 801.77 KB ]