Urinary vanadium as a biological indicator of exposure to vanadium.

Vanadium was determined in urine and blood of two workers (Worker Nos. 1 and 2 with direct exposure to vanadium pentoxide) and 13 fellow workers (with indirect or no vanadium exposure), and the results were compared by means of personal and stationary sampling of vanadium in air. Worker No. 1, a foreman with the heaviest exposure to vanadium, had a green tongue, complained of frequent productive coughing, and excreted 47 to 124 ng/ml vanadium in his late morning and mid-afternoon urine. Worker No. 2, a helper to the foreman with less exposure, had no green tongue or subjective complaints, and excreted no vanadium at a measurable level even in his mid-shift urine. No vanadium was detected in urine samples from other workers, nor in blood from all workers including Worker Nos. 1 and 2. Application of inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry to measurement of vanadium in biological materials is discussed.