Original scientific paper
Saturnism and presaturnism in shipbreakers
M. Buljat
; Zdravstvena stanica »Brodospas« OOUR »Rezališre«, Solin, Hrvatska
S. Kovač
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
V. Karačić
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
E. Keršanc
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
D. Dimov
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
T. Beritić
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
A case of severe lead poisoning in an oxy-gas burner from a shipbreaking yard prompted this study in which a whole population of lead exposed burners was investigated. One or both signs of toxic lead action (ALAD inhibition; increased concentration of ZPP) were found in 101 out of the total of 104 workers. ALAD/ZPP ratio was used as a measure of the degree of lead absorption indicating both the intensity and duration of toxic lead action. In this group of 101 burners there were 16 burners with dangerous lead overexposure (ALAD < 5.0 U/LE and/or ZPP ≥ 1.00 mmol/mol Hb) 13 of whom had to be hospitalized for deleading therapy with EDTA. Lead in blood determination was not considered necessary for this study since by itself it does not reflect lead action at all, and its sole significance as a sign of immediate presence of lead in the single sample, in whatever concentration it may be, is not believed to be of much value for making decisions about preventive measures.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
158165
URI
Publication date:
15.9.1983.
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