Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Martinotti, I
• Foà, V
• Cirla, P E

Titel

Assessment of exposure to fluorine and health effects in the production of aluminum

Ist Teil von

• Giornale italiano di medicina del lavoro ed ergonomia, 2012-07, Vol.34 (3 Suppl), p.665

Ort / Verlag

Italy

Erscheinungsjahr

2012

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• To check the current levels of exposure to fluorine and possible implications for health, 429 workers of a plant for aluminum production were involved in this study. The protocol included a medical examination with standardized questionnaire and dosage of urinary fluorine at the beginning and end of the shift. Workers with an urinary value greater than 5 mg F/L (66% of the limit SCOEL) were examined also by X-ray of the pelvis (AP); they were classified for the presence of fluorosis by a semiquantitative scale. Workers directly exposed showed a statistically significant difference compared to non/indirectly exposed ones (mean at the end of shift 3.11 vs 0.59/0.29 mg F/L respectively). No worker showed actual clinical signs or symptoms uniquely related to fluorosis. According to the adopted criteria it was found "possible fluorosis" or "initial fluorosis" in 4.81% of the workers (all with duration of exposure more than 20 years), no case of confirmed fluorosis.