Association of Urinary Chromium Concentrations with Skin Exposure and Skin Disease among Cement Workers

Abstract

P-135 Introduction: No studies have been performed to evaluate the skin absorption of chromium VI although it has been reported to cause irritation and allergy on skins. Impaired skins are reported with elevated skin absorption. Cement has been documented to contain 1–30 mg/g Cr VI. Methods: The monitoring of chromium levels in air and in urine was performed on 28 cement workers. Their skin diseases were diagnosed and integrated dermal exposure index (IDEI) was assessed based on the information regarding cement components, working time and frequency, and gloves-wearing habit collected via person-to-person interview. Results: We found the airborne Cr concentrations were about 1/1000 of that PEL but urinary Cr were about two-fold of BEI. Urinary Cr concentrations were significantly associated with both IDEI and severity of skin diseases (P < 0.05). Discussion and Conclusion: Based on extremely low airborne Cr concentrations and satisfactory correlation of urinary Cr with both IDEI and skin diseases, we concluded that dermal exposure could be the major exposure route for body burden of Cr for cement workers.