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Hair Manganese as an Exposure Biomarker among Welders
Boris Reiss1, Christopher D Simpson2, Marissa G Baker2
11.Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; reissb@uw.edu.
Abstract:
Quantifying exposure and dose to manganese (Mn) containing airborne particles in welding fume presents many challenges. Common biological markers such as Mn in blood or Mn in urine have not proven to be practical biomarkers even in studies where positive associations were observed. However, hair Mn (MnH) as a biomarker has the advantage over blood and urine that it is less influenced by short-term variability of Mn exposure levels because of its slow growth rate. The objective of this study was to determine whether hair can be used as a biomarker for welders exposed to manganese. Hair samples (1cm) were collected from 47 welding school students and individual air Mn (MnA) exposures were measured for each subject. MnA levels for all days were estimated with a linear mixed model using welding type as a predictor. A 30-day time-weighted average MnA (MnA30d) exposure level was calculated for each hair sample. The association between MnH and MnA30d levels was then assessed. A linear relationship was observed between log-transformed MnA30d and log-transformed MnH. Doubling MnA30d exposure levels yields a 20% (95% confidence interval: 11-29%) increase in MnH. The association was similar for hair washed following two different wash procedures designed to remove external contamination. Hair shows promise as a biomarker for inhaled Mn exposure given the presence of a significant linear association between MnH and MnA30d levels.
Insights
Hair manganese (MnH) shows promise as a biomarker for inhaled manganese (Mn) exposure in welders. Hair Mn levels increased by 20% with a doubling of airborne Mn exposure, indicating its utility.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Environmental Health
- Biomarker Development
Background:
- Accurate quantification of manganese (Mn) exposure from airborne welding fumes is challenging.
- Traditional biomarkers like blood and urine Mn lack practicality and are influenced by short-term variability.
- Hair manganese (MnH) offers potential as a biomarker due to its slow growth rate, reducing short-term variability effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of hair as a biomarker for assessing manganese exposure in welding students.
- To determine the association between airborne manganese (MnA) levels and hair manganese (MnH) concentrations.
Main Methods:
- Collected 1cm hair samples from 47 welding school students.
- Measured individual airborne manganese (MnA) exposures and estimated 30-day time-weighted average (MnA30d) using a linear mixed model.
- Assessed the association between MnH and MnA30d, including analysis of hair washed with different procedures.
Main Results:
- A significant linear relationship was observed between log-transformed MnA30d and log-transformed MnH.
- A doubling of MnA30d exposure was associated with a 20% increase in MnH (95% CI: 11-29%).
- This association remained consistent regardless of the hair washing procedure used.
Conclusions:
- Hair manganese (MnH) demonstrates significant potential as a reliable biomarker for inhaled manganese exposure in occupational settings.
- The findings support the use of hair analysis for long-term monitoring of manganese exposure in welders.
- Further research can validate MnH as a routine biomarker in occupational manganese exposure assessment.
