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Published on: June 21, 2015
Chronic Low-Level Cyanide Intoxication in an Electroplating Plant in Taiwan
Hao-Yi Fan1, Jiin-Chyuan John Luo, Wei-Chung Yeh
1From the Department of Occupational Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan (Dr Fan, Dr Luo, Dr Tsao); College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan (Dr Fan, Dr Yeh, Dr Tsao); New Taipei Municipal TuCheng Hospital, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan (Dr Luo); Department of Family Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan (Dr Yeh); and Department of Occupational Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan (Dr Huang).
Objective:
This study aimed to investigate clinical symptoms among electroplating workers exposed to cyanide.
Methods:
In this study, 26 silver-plating and 51 gold-plating workers completed questionnaires and were tested for urinary thiocyanates. Air cyanide, urinary thiocyanates, and clinical symptoms were compared between workers using Student t and χ 2 test and further analyzed by multivariate linear regression.
Results:
Air cyanide and urinary thiocyanate were higher in the silver-plating plant than the gold-plating plant. In both plants, a dose-response relationship was observed between exposure status and thiocyanate levels. Silver-plating workers reported a higher frequency of almond odor detection, nasal bleeding, excessive salivation, skin scalding, and corrosion. Urinary thiocyanates were associated with the plant and exposure status, but not with smoking.
Conclusions:
Our study suggests that silver-plating workers had higher exposure and more symptoms. Urinary thiocyanate may be a useful biomarker for cyanide exposure.
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