Biologic monitoring of chromium and nickel among stainless steel welders using the manual mental arc method.

Forty manual metal arc welders welding stainless steel (SS) were monitored for 1-7 workdays measuring total chromium (Cr), water-soluble hexavalent CrVI, and nickel (Ni) in the working atmosphere, and Cr and Ni in blood and urine. The mean daily increase was 1.0 microgram Cr/l in plasma and 5.6 micrograms Cr/g creatinine in urine. There were significant correlations between total Cr and CrVI in air and the total Cr in biologic fluids. This was not the case for the corresponding correlations for Ni. The observed correlations between urinary and plasma Cr levels may permit interchange of these body fluids for biologic monitoring at high exposures. The results indicate that urine sampled after work is a body fluid versatile for routine monitoring of Cr in SS welders. Smokers had higher levels of Cr in biologic fluids than did nonsmokers at equivalent levels of air CrVI. The results also indicate that filter masks provide better protection against uptake of Cr in the airways than air-stream helmets.