ارزیابی میزان حلالیت یون‌های فلزی گرد و غبار سیمان در آلوئول‌های ریه به روش برون‌تنی

  Background and Aim: Breathing exposure to cement dust containing an amount of heavy metal compounds has many different local and systemic effects. The aim of the present study was to survey the extent of cement factory workers' pulmonary exposure to metal ions (Cadmium, Cobalt, Chromium and Nickel).   Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional research, environmental sampling of the factory's packing section was performed to monitor metal ions in the air and fluid in a condition similar to that of the lungs. Data analysis was done using SPSS software (version 11.5) at the significant level of P<0.05.   Results: Comparing mean concentration of the studied metals with their maximum threshold level showed that it was less than the level (P<0.05). Maximum metal ion concentration in the air was that of Chromium (1.75 µg/m3) and the minimum concentration belonged to Cadmium (0.01 µg/m3). The level of metal ions of Cadmium, Cobalt, Chromium and Nickel in the floating particulates of the packing section was 0.74±0.41, 9.31±3.38, 81.96±53.35, 32.5±27.83 and the amount of the extracted metals with the simulated alveoli fluid from the samples of the air in the packing section of the factory in the in-vitro were 0.006±0.002, 0.02±0.009, 0.53±0.12, and 0.14±0.03 µg/g of the collected air dust, respectively. The result of Spearman's correlation coefficient test showed that the relationship between meal ions concentration in the air and the amount of simulated liquid was not statistically significant (P>0.05).   Conclusion: Although there was not any significant relationship between the amount of metal ions in the air and the simulated fluid, it is essential to investigate these exposures because of the high percentage of Cadmium solubility under simulated lung alveoli conditions.