We offer a wide range of biological monitoring for metals and
other inorganic compounds. Further details can be found
in the price
list. Some of these can be ordered online
including:
Blood
Lead
Arsenic Speciation
Inorganic fluoride
Occupational exposures to
Metals
Urine samples can used to determine
exposures to a wide range of elements in workplaces. Some
metals like cadmium and lead require a
blood sample but the majority of exposures can be determined in
a urine sample. The most common elements measured at
the HSE Science and Research Centre include
chromium and nickel, cobalt and mercury.
It is possible to analyse a range
of metals in one urine sample for workplace exposures; for
example
Welding
- chromium,
nickel, manganese, tungsten, vanadium. See HSE's
research report.
Recycling
- aluminium, mercury, chromium, antimony, copper, cadmium, lead and arsenic
We can also analyse metals in
samples such as wipes and filters to assess surface contamination
or airborne exposures; e.g. platinum in wipe/filter samples to
assess exposure to platinum-containing cytotoxic drugs (we can also measure
platinum levels in urine to monitor an individual's exposure) and
beryllium in urine and wipe/filter samples to assess exposure to
beryllium containing ore, metal and alloys in a wide range of
workplaces.
A number of GB guidance
values are available. In addition, HSE recommends urine
sampling for some other metals - see details on right. HSE
has recently reissued
EH60 on nickel, reporting that with good control exposures can
be reduced to a level of 24 µmol/mol creatinine. This was
based on research
in the electroplating industry.
New
technologies
New technologies using some
less common elements such as hafnium, indium and yttrium are
increasing. The health hazards of these elements are often
not well characterised, making exposure assessment important in
precautionary exposure control. HSL has conducted
research into the UK general population levels of these
elements and is therefore able to provide some interpretation of
results, despite currently very few guidance values being
available.