Estimating historical occupational exposure to airborne hexavalent chromium in a chromate production plant: 1940--1972.

This article presents a retrospective exposure assessment for 493 workers who were occupationally exposed to airborne hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), at a Painesville, Ohio, chromate production plant from 1940-1972. Exposure estimates were reconstructed using a job-exposure matrix approach that related job titles with area monitoring data from 21 industrial hygiene surveys conducted from 1943 to 1971. No personal monitoring data were collected. Specifically, airborne Cr(VI) concentration profiles for 22 areas of the plant, termed job-exposure group (JEG) areas, were constructed for three distinct time periods (1940-1949, 1950-1964, and 1965-1972), with cut points based on known major plant and process changes. Average airborne Cr(VI) concentrations were the highest for the bridge crane operators (5.5 mg/m3) prior to 1965, although only four cohort members held this job title. Airborne concentrations for the rest of the production areas of the plant ranged from 1.9 mg/m3 for packers in the 1940s to 0.012 mg/m3 for ore mill operators after 1964. For nearly all JEG areas, exposures decreased over time, particularly after 1964. For example, average airborne concentrations in production areas of the plant decreased from 0.72 mg/m3 in the 1940s to 0.27 mg/m3 from 1950 to 1964, and the average was 0.039 mg/m3 after 1964. Former workers were interviewed to determine activity patterns in the plant by job title. This information was combined with Cr(VI) monitoring data to calculate cumulative occupational exposure for each worker. Cumulative exposures ranged from 0.003 to 23 (mg/m3) x years. The highest monthly 8-hour average exposure concentration for each worker ranged from 0.003 to 4.1 mg/m3. These exposure estimates have been combined with mortality data for this cohort to assess the lung cancer risk associated with inhaled Cr(VI), and a positive dose-response relationship was observed for increases in lung cancer mortality with measures of cumulative exposure and highest monthly exposure.

Workplace airborne hexavalent chromium concentrations for the Painesville, Ohio, chromate production plant (1943-1971).

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is recognized as an inhalation carcinogen, based primarily on the increased incidence of lung cancer among occupationally exposed workers. To assess the carcinogenic potency of Cr(VI), both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have relied on data from a 1930s cohort of workers from the Painesville, Ohio, chromate production plant. However, the exposure information for this cohort has several shortcomings. In an effort to provide better exposure information, we present here recently identified historical exposure data for the Painesville workers. More than 800 measurements of airborne Cr(VI) from 23 newly identified surveys conducted from 1943 to 1971 are presented. The results indicate that the highest Cr(VI) concentrations recorded at the plant occurred in shipping (e.g., bagging of dichromate), lime and ash, and filtering operations, with maximum yearly average Cr(VI) concentrations of 8.9, 2.7, and 2.3 mg/m(3), respectively. The locker rooms, laboratory, maintenance shop, and outdoor raw liquor storage areas had the lowest average Cr(VI) air concentrations over time, with yearly average concentrations that rarely exceeded the historical and current Threshold Limit Value TLV(R) of 0.05 mgCr(VI)/m(3) (0.1 mgCrO(3)/m(3)). Concentrations generally decreased in the plant over time. The average airborne concentration of Cr(VI) in the indoor operating areas of the plant in the 1940s was 0.72 mg/m(3), that from 1957 through 1964 was 0.27 mg/m(3), and that from 1965 through 1972 was 0.039 mg/m(3). Although in some ways limited, these data are of sufficient quality to allow for exposure reconstruction for workers employed at this plant from 1940 to 1972, and to provide the basis for an improved cancer risk assessment.

Lung cancer mortality among chromate production workers.

AIMS: To assess mortality in 1997 among 493 former workers of a US chromate production plant employed for at least one year between 1940 and 1972. METHODS: Cohort members were followed for mortality to 31 December 1997. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for selected cause specific categories of death including lung cancer. Lung cancer mortality was investigated further by calculation of SMRs stratified by year of hire, duration of employment, time since hire, and categories of cumulative exposure to Cr(VI). RESULTS: Including 51 deaths due to lung cancer, 303 deaths occurred. SMRs were significantly increased for all causes combined (SMR = 129), all cancers combined (SMR = 155), and lung cancer (SMR = 241). A trend test showed a strong relation between lung cancer mortality and cumulative hexavalent exposure. Lung cancer mortality was increased for the highest cumulative exposure categories (> or =1.05 to <2.70 mg/m(3)-years, SMR = 365; > or =2.70 to 23 mg/m(3)-years, SMR = 463), but not for the first three exposure groups. Significantly increased SMRs were also found for year of hire before 1960, 20 or more years of exposed employment, and latency of 20 or more years. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of an increased risk of lung cancer mortality associated with Cr(VI) exposure is consistent with previous reports. Stratified analysis of lung cancer mortality by cumulative exposure suggests a possible threshold effect, as risk is significantly increased only at exposure levels over 1.05 mg/m(3)-years. Though a threshold is consistent with published toxicological evidence, this finding must be interpreted cautiously because the data are also consistent with a linear dose response.