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In vitro percutaneous absorption of cobalt
Francesca Larese Filon1, Giovanni Maina, Gianpiero Adami
1UCO Medicina del Lavoro, Università di Trieste, Via della Pietà 19, 34129 Trieste, Italy. larese@univ.trieste.it
Summary
Cobalt powder can permeate human skin, converting to ions in synthetic sweat. This study quantifies cobalt permeation through skin using an in vitro model.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Toxicology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Previous volunteer studies indicated cobalt powder can penetrate skin.
- Limited data exists on the mechanism and extent of cobalt skin absorption.
- Understanding cobalt permeation is crucial for occupational safety and consumer product assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively assess cobalt powder skin absorption in an in vitro system.
- To elucidate the mechanism of cobalt permeation through human skin.
- To determine the rate and lag time of percutaneous cobalt absorption.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Franz diffusion cell method with human skin explants.
- Dispersed cobalt powder in synthetic sweat as the donor phase.
- Analyzed cobalt permeation using electro-thermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) and differential pulse polarography (DPP) for ionic cobalt (Co2+).
Main Results:
- Demonstrated cobalt permeation through human skin in vitro.
- Calculated a steady-state flow of percutaneous cobalt permeation at 0.0123 ± 0.0054 µg cm⁻² h⁻¹.
- Determined a lag time of 1.55 ± 0.71 h for cobalt penetration.
Conclusions:
- Cobalt powder, when dispersed in synthetic sweat, oxidizes to cobalt ions (Co2+) and permeates the skin.
- This study provides the first quantitative data on the mechanism and rate of cobalt powder skin absorption.
- Findings highlight the potential for dermal exposure to cobalt and inform risk assessments.