Um estudo crítico sobre a saúde dos trabalhadores de galvânicas, por meio das relações entre as avaliações ambientais, biológicas e otorrinolaringológicas / A study relating to electroplaters´ health through relationships between environmental, biological, nose and throat evaluations
AUTOR(ES)
Carlos Sergio da Silva
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO
1997
RESUMO
Environmental, biological, and otolaryngology evaluations were carried out on 461 workers from 22 electroplaters with different processes for the treatment of surfaces. Air from the working environment was collected both individually end from fixed points, during the working week, for evaluation of sulphuric and hydrochloric acid mists, as well as for mists of chrome, nickel and zinc. Samples of workers urine were collected at the beginning and end of the work shift in order to determine the concentrations of U-Cr, U-Ni and U-Zn. Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine air-Cr, U-Cr, and U-Ni; air-Zn, air-Ni and U-Zn were determined using the atomic absorption spectrometry. The detection limits were similar to those found in the intemational literature. The environmental and biological results were in most cases below the limits set by the Brazilian and International legislation. Note that, of the contaminants evaluated, TLs are available for only chrome and hydrochloric acid mists and Biological Limits for only U-Cr. The otolaryngology results for the workers were surprising, taking into account all of the processes evaluated: 35.5% with medium and advanced lesions of the upper respiratory tract, and 40.1% with initial or non-specific lesions. These results, taken together with those obtained in the environmental and biological evaluations show that the tolerance limits are not safe parameters to protect workers health.
ASSUNTO(S)
nose and throat evaluation toxicologia clínica avaliação ambiental toxicologia ocupacional biological monitoring monitoramento biológico avaliação otorrinolaringológica environmental evaluation
