Review article
General aspects of biological monitoring and relative validity of biological indicators for occupational and environmental exposure to inorganic lead
S. Telišman
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Basic factors determining the interrelationship between external exposure, internal exposure and health effects are presented, and an advantage of biological over environmental monitoring in the prevention and protection of health is pointed out. By taking into account interindividual variations and direct measurement of internal exposure to which health effects are proportional the advantage of biological monitoring lies in the possibility of identifying the population segments with increased risk, either because of increased individual susceptibility due to endogenous or exogenous factors, or because of a higher exposure level. The economic advantage of biological monitoring in comparison to environmental monitoring concerns a far lower expenditure of the budget, manpower and instruments, while at the same time the effective exposure and health risk are more exactly determined. The factors determining the choice of the most optimal indicators, biological specimens, monitoring frequency, and type of population for the application of biological monitoring both for occupational and for environmental exposure to tome agents, is discussed. The advantage of biological over environmental permissible limits for the prevention of undesirable effects in occupational and environmental exposure is emphasized. Basic characteristics of biological indicators of increased lead absorption, their relative validity in the assessment of recent or integral exposure and absorption, and validity in the prediction and assessment of health effects are also presented. The determination of ALAD is recommended for the screening of the population with no known increased lead exposure,·to exclude the possibility of undesirable level of exposure. For the prevention of undesirable efforts in a population with an evidently increased exposure level, the simultaneous determination of blood lead as the specific indicator of dose, and of combined ALAD and EP/ZPP as the specific indicator of lead induced effects, is suggested. For the assessment and documentation of health impairment due to intolerable exposure the use of a complete set of biological indicators: lead, ALAD and EP/ZPP in blood, ALA and CP in urine, as well as the determination of Hb, Hct and, if possible, peripheral nerve conduction velocity is considered most appropriate.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
161821
URI
Publication date:
14.6.1979.
Visits: 891 *