The effect of preventive measures on urine cadmium levels in nickel-cadmium battery workers

Czech version

Authors: M. Sovičová ^1,2; H. Tomášková ^2,3; L. Carbolová ⁴; A. Šplíchalová ³; T. Baška ¹; H. Hudečková ¹
Authors‘ workplace: Ústav verejného zdravotníctva JLF UK Martin, Univerzita Komenského, Bratislava, vedúca pracoviska prof. MUDr. Henrieta Hudečková, PhD., MPH ¹; Ústav epidemiologie a ochrany veřejného zdraví, Ostravská univerzita v Ostravě, vedúci pracoviska doc. MUDr. Rastislav Maďar, PhD., MBA, FRCPS ²; Zdravotní ústav se sídlem v Ostravě, vedúci Ing. Eduard Ježo ³; Lékař Raškovice, s. r. o., lekár MUDr. Lenka Carbolová ⁴
Published in: Pracov. Lék., 71, 2019, No. 1-2, s. 17-24.
Category: Original Papers

Overview

Cadmium is a toxic metal representing a damage of high risk to the human organism. It commonly occurs in the environment, but it plays a significant role in metallurgy, plastics production as well as in pigments and accumulators.

The study investigated the effect of complex preventive measures, which were introduced in nickel-cadmium battery factory (daily replacement of working clothes, hair washing, men’s shaving, face and hand washing) from February 1st 2013 to February 1st 2014 to decrease cadmium exposure levels.

In addition, after eight months, nutritional supplements either from Chlorella kessleri or by selected vitamins and minerals for three months were added.

The group included 16 workers (9 women and 7 men) with average age 50.2 ± 1.5 years (mean ± SD), who had been occupationally exposed to cadmium oxide for 20.6 ± 2.5 years in the average. The group included three smokers and 8 workers have been living in neighbourhood of the factory. The initial and follow-up values of cadmium content in urine were determined in the whole group and two subgroups by GT-AAS atomic absorption spectrometry with electro-thermic atomization. The effect of the preventive measures was evaluated by changes in urine cadmium levels as a part of the biological exposure tests and differences in cadmium levels were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank and Krustal-Wallis tests with a significance level 5 %. The initial median urine cadmium level in the whole group was 10.6 μg Cd . g^-1 creatinine. After implementation of organizational preventive measures, the values of cadmium decreased to 5.5 μg Cd . g^-1 creatinine (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the effectiveness of the used supplements (p > 0.05). Three months after the supplementation use, cadmium urine levels increased again to 6.0 μg Cd . g^-1 creatinine.

The analysis of cadmium urine levels confirmed the effectiveness of preventive measures on workers exposure. The use of nutritional supplements showed immediate short-term effect; however, further research is needed to evaluate their effect on elimination of cadmium and possible health risk reduction.

Keywords:

cadmium – working environment – compliance – organization-hygienic measures – nutritional supplements

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