Analysis of the detection of metals and metalloids in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid for the etiological diagnosis value of pneumoconiosis

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the differences of the concentrations of metals and metalloids in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of patients with pneumoconiosis, so as to provide reference for the etiological diagnosis of pneumoconiosis. Methods: From September 2019 to August 2020, 47 pneumoconiosis patients hospitalized in Chongqing Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases and undergoing bronchoalveolar lavage were selected as the research objects using cluster sampling method. The general situation and occupational history of patients were investigated by questionnaire, The BALF of 47 pneumoconiosis patients was collected, and the concentrations of metals and metalloids in BALF were detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) , the differences among patients with different types of pneumoconiosis, different stages of silicosis and different occupational history were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Results: The concentrations of 50 metals and metalloids in BALF were detected, and 21 of them were analyzed. Compared with different types of pneumoconiosis, the concentrations of Zn, Mn and Sn in BALF were statistically significant (F=9.959, 3.635, 9.488, P<0.05) . The concentrations of K, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu and Ni in BALF were significantly different in different stages of silicosis (F=4.271, 4.334, 3.588, 5.120, 7.340, 3.905, P<0.05) . The concentrations of Zn and Sn in pneumoconiosis patients with different types of work and types of exposed dust were significantly different (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The detection of Zn, Mn, Sn, and other metals in BALF can provide reference basis for the etiological diagnosis of pneumoconiosis and provide a new idea for the diagnostic method of pneumoconiosis.